Colombia opened up more on- and offshore acreage for bidding, this time in Open Round Colombia 2010.
Areas on offer in the round, for which Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (ANH) is promoting through roadshows globally from February through May, include 225 blocks in onshore basins as well as blocks in these offshore basins: Cayos, Choco, Colombia, Guajira, Sinu, Tumaco, and Uraba.
ANH has divided the available blocks into three types: Type 1, or mature E&P basins, of which 138 blocks are on offer; Type 2, or emerging and frontier E&P basins, with 31 blocks on offer; and Type 3, or technical evaluation agreements (TEA), where there are 56 blocks on offer. So far, 192 wells have been drilled in Type 1 basins, 147 in Type 2 and 50 in Type 3, for a total of 389. ANH also has 25,294km of seismic in Type 1 basins, 24,017km in Type 2 basins and 11,449km in Type 3 basins, for a total of 60,660km.
Minimum exploration programs for Type 1 blocks include one exploratory well in the 36-month Phase 1 and two exploratory wells or one exploratory well and relinquishment of 50% of the area during the 36-month Phase 2.
The two three-year phases for Type 2 blocks varies, based on the basin. The onshore portion of Guajira, the Lower Magdalena, Llanos and Sinu-San Jacinto all call for 20km of 2D seismic for each 10,000HA and one exploratory well in Phase 1 and two exploratory wells or one exploratory well and relinquishment of 50% of the area during Phase 2. There are two Type 2 blocks offshore in the Sinu Basin.
Minimum exploration for the onshore portion of the Type 2 Choco Basin calls for multi-spectral analysis or high density aerogeophysics and 10km of 2D seismic per 10,000HA in Phase 1 and two exploratory wells or one exploratory well and relinquishment of 50% of the area during Phase 2. The offshore sections of the Type 2 Cayos, Sinu, Tumaco and Uraba basins call for multispectral analysis and piston core sampling in Phase 1 and 15km2 of 3D seismic per 20,000HA and one exploratory well in Phase 2. There are two Type 2 blocks and 12 Type 3 blocks offshore in the Cayos Basin and three Type 2 blocks in the offshore portion of the Tumaco basin.
The Type 3 blocks have a single three-year phase and call for various amounts of seismic, depending on whether the block is offshore or onshore. There are three Type 3 blocks in the offshore portion of the Guajira Basin, four Type 3 in the offshore portion of the Choco Basin, and two Type 3 in the offshore portion of the Tumaco Basin.
The Choco and Tumaco are forearc basins or successor basins in forearc settings, according to ANH. They are deep sediment-filled trough containing sandstone reservoirs, and seeps indicate active petroleum systems.
The offshore Sinú, southern Chocó, and Tumaco basins are large Tertiary delta complexes.
ANH said the frontier Cayos Basin holds numerous structures with source rocks and carbonate reservoirs.
Pre-qualification documents can be submitted from 19 February through 19 April 2010. The pre-qualification list will be final on 24 May. Bidding deadline is 21 June 2010. The primary criteria for Type 1 and 3 blocks is additional exploration investment in Phase 1 with participation percentage of production being used as a secondary, tie-breaking criteria. The reverse holds true for the Type 2 blocks.
Ammonite Resources is serving as ANH's advisors for the licensing round.
by: Jennifer Pallanich,
jpallanich@offshore-engineer.com