North Sea oil and gas operator Valiant Petroleum (LON:VPP) has reported encouraging early results from drilling work on its East Tybalt exploration well, including news that it has intersected a gross oil column of 278ft. The company is now carrying out detailed test work on the well and is planning to drill a sidetrack well on the nearby West Tybalt prospect, where results are expected in early June.

The Tybalt exploration well 211/8c-4 is understood to have discovered hydrocarbons in the targeted Upper Magnus Sand Formation within the eastern 'T2' pinch-out prospect. Initial drilling data has indicated at least 63ft of reservoir, which is lower than assumed in pre-drill estimates at the location. Net pay over the section drilled still remains to be determined and Valiant is currently running an extensive data collection programme having cored the reservoir and running extensive suite of wireline logs, fluid sampling, pressure readings and a vertical seismic profile. The company noted that once all of the data has been analysed and the reservoir is better understood, the net pay had the potential to increase in this part of the field.

Valiant began work on the East Tybalt well in mid-April, shortly after farming out a 20% stake of its 100% working interest in the prospect to Agora Oil & Gas. As part of that deal, Valiant’s costs at Tybalt are being partially carried by Agora which may also take up options on Valiant’s nearby Banquo and Helena prospects.

On the back of the latest success, Valiant is set to undertake drilling work on a sidetrack targeting the four-way dip 'T1' structure, known as the West Tybalt prospect, which lies immediately to the west of the current well. It said that based on the extensive offset well data in the area, the reservoir properties are expected to improve in this well location. Valiant is also reviewing a number of additional appraisal options around East and West Tybalt, including an additional sidetrack and a drill stem test, in order to fully understand the regional reservoir properties to potentially facilitate the near term development of the area.

Peter Buchanan, the chief executive of Valiant, said: “We are pleased with the early indications from the East Tybalt well. In the event of further success in the West Tybalt side-track well, Valiant believe that sufficient hydrocarbon volumes will have been identified to proceed with…

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