Solan
Chrysaor completed two successful appraisal wells on the previously fallow 205/26a-4 Solan discovery, 205/26a-7/7z drilled in summer 2008 and 205/26a-8/8z/8y drilled in summer 2009.

The initial wellbore 205/26a-7, which was drilled to the north of the original 205/26a-4 discovery, encountered 85 vertical feet of net oil bearing Jurassic reservoir. This was shallow and thick compared to the pre-drill prognosis and in good pressure communication with the original discovery well. On completion of coring, fluid sampling and other logging operations, this well was sidetracked as 205/26a-7z to provide depth control and also to appraise the updip Triassic reservoir under the western part of the Jurassic accumulation. On completion of operations the well was suspended for later re-use as the top-hole of a development well.

The results from the wells were very encouraging and in May 2009 Chrysaor embarked upon a further appraisal drilling program to investigate additional reservoir volumes and enable a firm field development plan to be completed. Further horizontal appraisal well legs 205/26a-8,8z and 8y were subsequently drilled to more fully delineate the Solan reservoir, including a full pilot hole for the first producing well. When all data had been gathered the well was also suspended for re-use as top-hole in an eventual development well.

Results from 205/26a-8/8z/8y were again positive and enabled Chrysaor to prepare a fully evolved model of the Solan Jurassic field on which it has based its development plans. In the base case Chrysaor expects to develop the Solan field by means of four subsea wells comprising two production and two injection wells. These wells will be tied back to jacket-supported not normally manned facilities utilizing a 300,000 bbls capacity steel subsea storage tank. Oil export will be via shuttle tanker with an offload occurring every few weeks.

Chrysaor formally submitted an Environmental Statement (ES) for Solan to DECC on the 3rd December 2009 and a Field Development Plan on the 8th December 2009. It is planned that full development sanction and contract awards will occur in April 2012 leading to first oil being delivered by end Q3 2014. The Solan ES and its updates can be found by following the link at the foot of this page.

In Q2 2011 Premier Oil plc entered into an agreement with Chrysaor to become a partner in the Solan field. Premier took a 60% interest in Solan in exchange for funding Chrysaor’s share of the development. Premier will also pay US$20 million in consideration plus a 60% share of agreed sunk costs.