Oil and gas exploration firm PetroNeft Resources has said a vertical pilot hole has been successfully completed at its Tungolskoye No 5 (T-5) well in Tomsk Oblast in the Russian Federation.

The company also said its Arbuzovskoye 106 well is drilling ahead at more than 2,000 metres depth and is expected to be completed later this month.

In an update, PetroNeft said the vertical pilot hole of the T-5 well has been successfully drilled. The Upper Jurassic J1 oil reservoir horizon was intersected at -2,495.8 metres true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS), which is approximately 11 metres high to the T-1 well to the south. This, it said, is consistent with expectations and confirms the structural interpretation of Tungolskoye.

Preliminary evaluation of the logs indicates that the J1 interval consists of at least 8.2 metres of net pay. An open hole test was conducted over this interval and tested at a pro-rated inflow of 100 barrels of oil per day (bopd) unstimulated.

The part of the well below about 800 metres will now be sealed with cement plugs to isolate the reservoir before drilling down at a different angle to properly position a new horizontal section. The well will first be drilled down to a depth of approximately -2,490 metres TVDSS and then casing will be set. Baker Hughes will then take over in order to drill the horizontal section in the reservoir.

The process is expected to take up to a month, after which the horizontal section of the well will be tested.

"We are pleased with the results of the T-5 well so far and the flow rate achieved. The well has confirmed both the structural interpretation as well as a good reservoir interval and initial test. We look forward to completing our first horizontal well at Licence 61 and continuing our ongoing production drilling work at Arbuzovskoye," said PetroNeft chief executive Dennis Francis.