Range Resources Limited provide an update on the drilling operations on the Shabeel well in Puntland, Somalia which is being drilled by its Joint Venture Operator, Horn Petroleum Corp. (Horn).

The Shabeel well is currently at a depth of 2703 meters and has just completed the setting of the 9 5/8" casing. The well drilled through primarily tight limestones and shales of Lower Tertiary to Upper Cretaceous age and encountered a 355 meter section of Upper Cretaceous sands and shales of the Tisje / Jesomma Formations at a depth of approximately 1660 meters.

The sands in this interval exhibited both oil and gas shows and petrophysical analysis of downhole electrical logs indicates a potential pay zone of between 12 and 20 meters in the section. Attempts to sample formation fluids using a wireline formation tester were not successful and thus the zone will require cased hole testing to confirm whether they are oil bearing. At a depth of 2015 meters, a thick section of tight limestone and shales was encountered and extended to the present depth of 2703 meters. This is believed to correspond to the Upper Cretaceous Gumburo Formation.

Tags: Range Resources Limited