Valiant Comes Up Dry at Tybalt

Valiant Petroleum has announced that it has come up dry at the Tybalt well in the UK North Sea following an appraisal programme.

The company, which is the operator of the well, well 211/8c-5, says that it failed to encounter any moveable hydrocarbons from the well.

Initial interpretation of the well area indicated that it was similar to another discovery well already drilled in the area, the 211/8c-4z well. The company also says porosities were similar but permeability was much lower in the Tybalt well, much lower than was previously expected.

The well was drilled to a total depth of 13,212 feet, and penetrated a full Upper Magnus Sandstone Member section, comprising 844 feet gross, Valiant says, with 316 feet of net sand. The company successfully recovered 210 feet of core from this interval.

Further testing failed to locate any movable hydrocarbons, with water located in the lower part of the Upper Magnus Sandstone Member, where the well penetrated, recovered water, while stations towards the top of the interval were tight.

The well will now be suspended and further analysis undertaken to assess the entire Tybalt accumulation.

Valiant is a 60 per cent stakeholder in the Tybalt project. Agora Oil & Gas, a subsidiary of Cairn Energy, holds the other 40 per cent stake.