Apache and Total Block 58 Keskesi East-1 has encountered 63m net hydrocarbon pay, with 58m net 27–28° API oil, volatile oil, and gas pay in good quality Campanian-Maastrichtian reservoirs, and 5m net of 35–37° API volatile oil pay in Santonian reservoirs, where wireline logging has been completed. The well was spudded in September 2020, having previously been side-tracked due to instability. The deep wells along this trend (Maka Central, Sapakara, Kwaskwasi) routinely TD below 6 km MD. Drilling is still ongoing for deeper Neocomian-aged targets, a major new target for the Lower Cretaceous which could have ramifications for the Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea-Conakry (MSGBC) conjugate margin basins. Work is being carried out by the Noble Sam Croft drillship, which will be released following completion of the well.
Map showing location of the Keskesi East-1 well in Block 58, offshore Suriname.
The fourth well in the block, Keskesi is 14 km southeast of Sapakara West-1. All three previous wells in the block have encountered oil and condensate (in Upper Cretaceous marine clastic formations). Apache continue to operate the well until release of the drillship, whereas operatorship of the block was transferred to Total on 1 January, 2021, as agreed in their December 2019 farm-in. No acreage relinquishments are required until mid-2026. Total plan an appraisal campaign to begin in 2021, along with additional exploration drilling.
