The oil and gas companies Apache and Total announced a major oil discovery at the Maka Central-1 well drilled offshore Suriname on Block 58, which has aso been successfully tested for the presence of hydrocarbons.
Specifically, the well was drilled using the drillship Noble Sam Croft with Apache as operator holding a 50% working interest and Total holding a 50% working interest.
Also, Maka Central-1 was positively tested for the presence of hydrocarbons in multiple stacked targets in the upper Cretaceous-aged Campanian and Santonian intervals and encountered both oil and gas condensate.
The well is special as it is consists of three different layers; light oil and condensate of 40-60 API in the first, oil of 35-45 API in the second, and a third play below which has yet to be tapped.
The pressures at the bottom reaches of the well were high, a positive sign for the development of the third interval. The company made the decision to conclude drilling at about 20,000 feet of depth, and another well will explore the third interval.
In light of the discovery, John J. Christmann, Apache CEO and President commented that
We are very pleased with results from Maka Central-1. The well proves a working hydrocarbon system in the first two play types within Block 58 and confirms our geologic model with oil and condensate in shallower zones and oil in deeper zones. Preliminary formation evaluation data indicates the potential for prolific oil wells.
