Echo Energy announcesa non-commercial gas discovery at the Campo La Mata Exploration well ("CLM x-1") in the Tapi Aike licence following completion of testing on the lower secondary target ("D3" or"Anita") and the primary target ("Magallenes 20" or"Lobe C").
The lower secondary Anita target was perforated over an eight metre interval between 2,395m and 2,403m and then
mechanically stimulated. Following clean out operations, the secondary target flowed at surface at an estimated rate
of up to 0.57MMScf/d with an estimated average rate of 0.35MMscf/d.
The Anita target also yielded condensate with an API gravity of 50 degrees, with a flow rate as measured at the well
head at an estimated 7.5 to 18 bbls/d. The presence of condensate is in line with the mud-log, with 25% of higher-end (non-methane) components,and with the Anitatarget elsewhere in the basin.
The primary Lobe C target was perforated over a three metre interval between 2,214m and 2,217m and mechanically
stimulated. Following clean out operations, the well flowed at surface at an estimated rate up to 0.28 MMScf/d with
an estimated average rate of 0.25 MMscf/d. No condensate was retrieved from the interval, which is in line with the
mud-log showing 93% methane.
To achieve the threshold of commerciality, it is estimated the well would require a stabilised production rate across
the intervals of approximately 1.0MMscf/d, which was not achieved from the Anitaand Lobe C targets.
Asaresult, testing of the shallower Magallenes 60 interval, which was the upper secondary target of the CLMx-1well,
and the Magallenes 40 interval is now under considera on with the objective, in aggregate with the flow rates
achieved from the intervals already tested, of seeking to exceed the commercial threshold. These additional sand
intervals showed elevated gas shows during drilling and, whilst there can be no assurance that further testing and/or
commerciality of the well will follow, further technical work will now be undertaken by the Tapi Aike partners to aid
the considera on of whether testing of these additional intervals should be undertaken. In the interim, the CLM x-1
well will be shut in for evaluation and the Well Head Pressure will be measured during this time.
Whilst the lack of commerciality from the tested intervals is disappointing, the CLM x-1 well has proven the presence
of a working petroleum system on the Chiripa Oeste 3D seismic in Tapi Aike, with the Class III amplitude vs offset
("AVO") characteristics being asuccessful predictor of the presence of gas. The dataand informa on collected to date from the CLM x-1 well will be used to calibrate and further enhance the predictive capability of the 3D data acquired last year to identify other drillinglocations that could be commercial.
Following the gas discovery as a result of this well result, it is an cipated that the Tapi Aike partnership will qualify
for an extra year on the first Tapi Aike explora on period. An extension would take the current explora on licence
phase to four years expiring on 7 September 2021 without addi onal commitments, enabling addi onal technical
work to iden fy commercially viable drill loca ons. The operator of the Tapi Aike licence will request the additional
year from the Santa Cruz Province and no issuesare anticipated in obtainingthe additional licence year.
The Tapi Aike partnership are evaluating the independent plays in the recently processed western seismic (Travesia
de Arriba) with aview to drillinga well in this area later this year.
Separately, tes ng opera ons at the recently drilled Campo Limite (CLix-1001) well at Santa Cruz Sur, are expected to
commence, as scheduled, in the second half of February 2020 and the Company will provide an update on the testing operations in due course.
Martin Hull, CEO of Echo Energy commented:
"It is a disappointment that our initial exploration well at Tapi Aike has returned non-commercial flow rates from the tested intervals. Data from the CLM-x-1 well will now be used to calibrate and further inform our subsurface model and the JV partnership will use this enhanced dataset to identify future drilling locations on the licence It is anticipated that the second Tapi Aike Exploration well will spud in H2 2020.
At Santa Cruz Sur, we expect to commence testing shortly on therecently drilled Campo Limite(CLix-1001) well. We look forward to updating the market on the results of the CLix-1001 testing operations in due course."