Rialto Energy Limited, the exploration, appraisal and development company with operated assets offshore Cote D'Ivoire, West Africa, announced the commencement of drilling of the Gazelle-P3 production well on the CI-202 block. Rialto is Operator of the Block with an 85% working interest.

The Gazelle-P3 well was spudded on 12thMarch 2012 using the Transocean GSF Monitor (350' ILC) drilling rig. The well is planned to be drilled to a total depth (TD) of approximately 3400 mMDRT (-2926 mTVDSS) and is expected to take around 60-70 days to drill and test. The well is the first of an overall three well drilling program on CI-202 that is anticipated to take six months to complete, together with testing.

The Gazelle-P3 well, which will be drilled from the Gazelle subsea template, is designed to be drilled as a deviated hole and will target already tested sands over the Upper Cenomanian reservoirs and will be deepened to test a combination structural / stratigraphic trap in the Lower Cenomanian that have never been drilled before. The well is situated on the northern flank of the Gazelle structure. The Gazelle field is located approximately 27 miles (43 kilometers) south-west of Abidjan.

Tags: Rialto Energy