Touchstone Exploration Inc. said Thursday drilling at the Cascadura Deep-1 exploration well on the Ortoire exploration block onshore Trinidad and Tobago encountered significant hydrocarbon accumulations based on drilling and wireline log data.
The Cascadura Deep-1 well was drilled to a total measured depth of 8,303 feet (true vertical depth of 8,133 feet) on November 30, 2020. While the well was originally planned to be drilled to a total depth of 10,600 feet, the gas sands encountered in overthrust Sheet 4 proved difficult to manage, and the decision was made to cease drilling to preserve the substantial pay section encountered in the well.
Drilling samples and open hole wireline logs indicated that the well encountered a significant Herrera turbidite package with a total thickness of over 2,900 feet containing in excess of 2,100 feet of sand, with an aggregate 1,315 net feet of natural gas pay in four unique thrust sheets.
The well encountered 558 net feet of hydrocarbon pay in the Gr7bc section of the overthrust Herrera sands at measured depths between 5,450 and 6,050 feet. These sands, locally referred to as the Sheet 3 overthrust sands, correlate to the sands discovered and tested at Cascadura-1ST1 at depths between 5,516 and 6,162 feet. The gross section encountered in Cascadura Deep-1 was 20 feet less than observed in Cascadura-1ST1 which is located approximately 900 feet to the northwest.
The well encountered 449 net feet of hydrocarbon pay in the Gr7abc section of Sheet 4 of the overthrust Herrera sands at measured depths between 6,050 and 6,532 feet. These sands correlate to the lower sands discovered and tested in Cascadura-1ST1 at depths between 6,162 and 6,350 feet. The gross Sheet 4
“I am pleased that the Ortoire block continues to outperform our expectations,” said Paul R. Baay, Touchstone’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Cascadura Deep-1 well is the best well we have drilled on the Ortoire property to date and it has provided three key pieces of information, primarily that the Cascadura field has numerous targets with each one of the thrust sheets providing its own unique opportunity.”
Baay said it has also shown that the system is hydrocarbon charged and that in time the block partners will require more drilling horsepower to evaluate the deeper zones.
“We now have a unique opportunity to design a development drilling program in the area and expand our exploration program while we complete and tie-in the existing Cascadura and Chinook wells,” he said.
Baay pointed out that the time required to undertake this will allow for additional equipment to be secured and a full field development plan submitted to proceed with a continual drilling program.
“As we move into 2021, Touchstone is entering a new phase that will see rapid production growth along with a balanced portfolio of development and exploration opportunities,” he said.
Touchstone as operator has 80% working interest with Heritage Petroleum Company Limited holding the remaining 20% working interest.
