Oilex Ltd provides the following update on operations to recover the stuck milling assembly from the Cambay-76H horizontal well in the Cambay Field, onshore Gujarat, India.

The retrieval operations had been proceeding satisfactorily with 246 metres of coiled tubing recovered in four sections over five days, indicating that the specialised tools were working as anticipated. An estimated 123 metres of coiled tubing and the milling assembly remain to be recovered.

Retrieval operations were interrupted after the fourth section of coiled tubing was recovered, when high bottom hole pressure conditions and an influx of gas and fracture stimulation fluids made it necessary to undertake well control operations to stabilise the well.

Well control operations were initiated on 17 December 2011, which involved the mobilization of additional equipment and chemicals to counter the abnormal pressure in the well bore. Gas and condensate, nitrogen and fracture stimulation fluids have been circulated to surface and the hydrocarbons have been flared.

Tags: Oilex Ltd