--> Abstract: New Pinda Exploration in Block 14, Deep Water, Angola, by Greg Raskin, Kevin Doyle, Art Saller, and Younis Altobi; #90082 (2008)
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New Pinda Exploration in Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14, Deep Water, Angola

Greg Raskin1, Kevin Doyle1, Art Saller2, and Younis Altobi1
1Southern Africa SBU, Chevron, Houston, TX
2Energy Technology Co., Chevron, Houston, TX

In 1995, Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14 was awarded to CABGOC and partners in the deepwater of offshore Angola. In 1997, the first exploration well in the Previous HitblockNext Hit, the 14-1X, was drilled with its main objective in the Cretaceous Pinda Group. The 14-1X penetrated 3100 ft (950 m) of Pinda, but tested only small amounts of oil because of poor reservoir quality. Fortunately, the well encountered commercial quantities of oil in Miocene turbidites, and subsequent exploration in Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14 focused on Miocene turbidites in slope valley complexes.

3D seismic data over Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14 indicates many closures at the Pinda level. However, Pinda reservoir quality was assumed to end at approximately the modern shelf margin, and hence Pinda exploration in deepwater was avoided. Re-evaluation of data indicates that Pinda reservoir quality is controlled by depositional facies. The Pinda in Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14 and adjacent areas contains two different depositional systems, separated by a major transgression. (1) The Upper Pinda depositional system is dominated by prograding clastic shorefaces which are the main reservoirs east of Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14. Paleogeographic reconstructions suggest that the Upper Pinda prograding clastic shoreline should reach the northeast part of Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14, but remain east of the 14-1X well. (2) A second depositional system in the Lower Pinda is dominated by lagoonal and terrestrial facies in eastern Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14. Conceptually, shoreface sands and potentially carbonate shoals should occur west of the lagoonal system, perhaps in central or western Previous HitBlockNext Hit 14.

Malange-1 spudded in December, 2006, ~6.5 km northeast of 14-1X with a Pinda objective. Preliminary evaluation of the well confirms the Pinda depositional/stratigraphic model and has re-opened the trend throughout Previous HitBlockTop 14.

AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa 2008 © AAPG Search and Discovery