Tariki well ‘very economic’

Press, 26 July 1986, Page 23

Tariki well ‘very economic’

PA Wellington The Tariki-la well is “a very economic well,” a spokesman for Petrocorp said yesterday, after it announced that the well produces 19.5 million cubic feet of gas and 950 barrels of oil a day. On a 24/64 inch choke, the well had produced 10 million cubic feet of gas and 550 barrels of condensate a day. The choke was then changed to 36/64 inch, increasing the production rate to 950 barrels of oil a day, Petrocorp said. The well was shut in on Thursday for a pressure build-up survey before flow testing resumes next week. The spokesman said Tariki-la was a very good well which was “undoubtably commercial,” but where the market was had yet to be determined.

He said the well would earn good money, but it was not necessarily a particularly marketable gas or condensate, as its produce was similar to that of other fields.

Other fields, such as Maui, already had contracts to supply gas and condensate, he said. Tariki would have a smaller production than the Maui field, but its condensate was like the light oil produced at Maui, and could be refined into petrol. Condensate from Maui was shipped to the Marsden Point refinery and blended with other crudes to make petrol, the spokesman said. Decisions on use and marketing of the well would be made later, he said.

Tariki-la is located 14km southeast of Inglewood, and 12km south of the McKee production station in Taranaki. It is a deviation from the Tariki--1 well.

The Tipoka-1 well, 17km north of Opunake in South Taranaki, was at a depth of 2832 metres by 6 a.m. yesterday, Petrocorp (Exploration), Ltd, said. At report time the well was drilling ahead.