ReconAfrica ships additional equipment for Kavango West horizontal test
Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) has acquired additional high-pressure pumps, a swabbing unit and other equipment in the United States for its ongoing testing programme at the Kavango West 1X (KW1X) well in northeastern Namibia.
Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) has acquired additional high-pressure pumps, a swabbing unit and other equipment in the United States for its ongoing testing programme at the Kavango West 1X (KW1X) well in northeastern Namibia.
The equipment is being shipped to Namibia as the company prepares for the next phase of testing following the flow of natural gas and potential liquids to surface from the Huttenberg formation.
ReconAfrica has also appointed H2OIL to handle surface operations and provide additional equipment, including a separator, while Halliburton will continue providing drilling and downhole services.
The company said the latest equipment will support a planned horizontal test designed to provide a better assessment of the production potential of the Huttenberg reservoir.
ReconAfrica recently reported that natural gas and potential liquids flowed to surface from the upper section of the Huttenberg formation immediately after it was opened for testing, and before any acid treatment was conducted. The gas was subsequently flared through the site’s flare system.
The company did not measure the flow rate during the vertical Huttenberg test because of equipment limitations.
Samples of the gas and potential liquids have been collected and sent to laboratories in the United States for analysis, with results expected in the coming weeks.
The latest results follow an earlier test of the Upper Elandshoek formation, where hydrocarbons also flowed to surface.
ReconAfrica said two of the six zones identified as being of interest in the KW1X well have so far demonstrated the ability to flow hydrocarbons to surface.
The company has cautioned that the vertical production tests were primarily designed to establish whether the reservoirs could produce hydrocarbons, rather than determine commercial production rates.
The next stage will involve drilling a horizontal section of up to 1 000 metres through the upper Huttenberg formation.
ReconAfrica expects the horizontal test to provide a more representative indication of the reservoir’s production potential because a larger section of the rock will be exposed.
The Huttenberg was selected for the horizontal test after the company identified about 75 metres of potentially productive rock from the original well data. The formation is also shallower than the Elandshoek, allowing for a longer horizontal section.
The Jarvie-1 drilling rig remains at the KW1X site and is expected to drill the horizontal section once the required equipment and permit amendments are in place.
ReconAfrica is conducting the programme with BW Energy, which holds a 20% working interest, and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), which has a 10% carried working interest.
The company also plans to continue preparations for the Kavango West 2A (KW2A) appraisal well. Following completion of the KW1X horizontal test, the partners intend to drill a horizontal well at KW2A to investigate the extent of the reservoir and determine whether different parts of the formation are connected.
ReconAfrica said the KW1X results could have wider implications for the area, where it has identified 22 geological structures using existing seismic data.
The company expects this number could increase as additional seismic information becomes available.
The KW1X well forms part of ReconAfrica’s exploration programme in Namibia’s Kavango region, where the company is assessing oil and gas potential in the Damara Fold Belt and Kavango Rift Basin.
