The Singa-1 well was completed as a gas discovery in July 1997, proving up the deep potential of the Batu Raja Formation in South Sumatra, Indonesia.
Reprocessed 1990 seismic data supported the interpretation of a Lower Miocene carbonate build-up, probably initiated on a local topographic high within the basin. The Singa-1 well was drilled to test this deep carbonate play, and encountered reservoir quality reefal facies, testing gas at 30.7 MMSCFD from a 258' gross interval.
3D seismic acquired over the Lematang Block by Amerada Hess Indonesia in 1998 allows for the better definition of the carbonate build-up, and a follow up appraisal well, Singa 2, drilled in early 1999, has proved up the presence of gas charged porous reefal carbonate.
The underlying non-marine shales of the Lahat and Talang Akar Formation provide a good gas source and the overlying thick Gumai Shales an excellent seal. The location of the Singa structure, within the main depocentre of the Lematang Trough, results in high temperatures at the depth of the main objective, and this, together with overpressured nature of the shales in the Gumai Formation, makes drilling in the area technically challenging
The Singa wells have proved up significant reserves of gas within porous Batu Raja carbonate some 3000' deeper than anything previously drilled in the area, extending the Batu Raja play to new depths within South Sumatra.