INVICTUS ENERGY LIMITED TO BEGIN DRILLING OF ZIMBABWE MUKUYU-2 WELLSITE

Australian energy firm Invictus Energy Limited (Invictus) has finished its rig mobilization and assembly to begin drilling for potential oil and gas at its second Mukuyu-2 wellsite.

In December 2022, Invictus ceased drilling operations at its Muzarabani oil and gas site owing to drilling gear issues.

A few months later, Invictus launched a successful capital raising initiative of over US$6 million to drill at the same site termed Mukuyu-2 wellsite.

The announcement that Invictus has completed its rig mobilization and assembly comes as the firm reaffirmed the presence of light oil, gas-condensate, and helium at Mukuyu-1 a day earlier.

“The completion of the mobilization and rig up of the Exalo Rig 202 at Mukuyu-2 well site marks another key milestone in the project as we prepare to commence drilling,” Invictus managing director Scott Macmillan said in a statement released on Friday.

“The final preparation of the good services equipment and independent quality assurance and quality control is nearing completion ahead of mobilization of equipment and personnel to the Mukuyu-2 wellsite. This follows our highly successful basin opening Mukuyu-1/ST-1 well, with the campaign anticipated to confirm a discovery upon success.”

He said the firm remained on track to spud Mukuyu-2 in the coming weeks. The rig mobilized by Invictus is called the Exalo Rig 202.

To accommodate the arrival of the remaining workers and equipment, wellsite activity has shifted to a round-the-clock schedule. As part of the rig acceptance procedure before spud, the new mud tank system is now being installed and commissioned.

Invictus and the contractor are completing the last inspections and preparations of third-party equipment at their separate supply bases in the coming days.

“Mukuyu-2 is on track to spud next month, with the primary target interval, the Triassic Upper Angwa formation, sitting approximately 400m shallower Mukuyu-2 than Mukuyu-1. This location will provide excellent information on the distribution and reservoir quality of Upper Angwa sands,” the firm said.“The Mukuyu-2 well trajectory is planned to be near vertical from the surface, with a maximum inclination of 12 degrees to provide optimal penetration of several stratigraphic intervals within the same structural horst block, while minimizing operational complexity.”

The oil firm added: “The well will also penetrate multiple additional targets including the Dande (JurassicCretaceous), Forest, and Pebbly Arkose (both Triassic) formations within the Mukuyu anticline in the central horst structure.”

Invictus said the well would be drilled to a planned total depth of approximately 3 750 meters measured depth to penetrate seismic reflectors, interpreted to be the Lower Angwa sequence.

SOURCE: Newsday