By OGJ editors HOUSTON, Feb. 28 -- Africa Oil Corp., Vancouver, BC, will use a new rig under contract from Energi Tata Persada Pte. Ltd. (ETP), Singapore, for its drilling program in the Puntland area of Somalia (OGJ, Sept. 3, 2007, p. 34).
ETP Rig. No. 3, under construction in the Shengli fabrication yard in Dongying, China, is scheduled for delivery in mid-May. It's a 1,500-hp top-drive unit with three 1,600-hp pumps.
Africa Oil's day-rate contract covers two wells with a two-well option. Under a farmout from Range Resources Ltd., Perth, it will earn an 80% participating interest by drilling two wells each in the Puntland area's Nogal and Dharoor basins (OGJ, Mar. 26, 2007, p. 33).
It plans to spud the first Somali well in July.
ETP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Catur Khita Persada of Indonesia, owns four land rigs.
Range Resources says partner Africa Oil contracts rig for Puntland drilling LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Range Resources Ltd said its 80 pct joint venture partner, Africa Oil, has contracted a rig to begin drilling the Puntland oil and gas concession this year.
Africa Oil said the drilling will begin before Aug 1 and the contract -- signed with Singapore's Energi Tata Persada Pte Ltd -- covers the drilling of two wells with a two well option.
No financial details were provided, but the company said the deal was negotiated at competitive rates.
Puntland is a semiautonomous region of northeast Somalia.