Talisman makes offshore Vietnam oil discovery
CALGARY - Talisman Energy Inc., Canada's No. 2 oil explorer and producer, said on Wednesday it made an oil discovery close to a newly started C$1.1 billion ($840 million) oil and gas project off Vietnam.
Talisman said Truong Son Joint Operating Co., its joint venture with the state oil companies of Vietnam and Malaysia, drilled a well that tested at 7,300 barrels of light oil a day, a rate constrained by the equipment.
The exploration well, called Song Doc-1X, was the first the group drilled since it was awarded block 46/02 in December 2002. Potential reserves were being evaluated, the company said.
In September, Talisman started pumping crude from its 60,000 bpd PM-3 offshore project straddling Vietnamese and Malaysian territory.
The development, which also produces natural gas, is expected to add 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day to Talisman's output next year.
Talisman has a 30 percent interest in the Truong Son venture. Its partners are PetroVietnam with 40 percent and Malaysia's Petronas Carigali with 30 percent.
Shares in Talisman were off 33 Canadian cents at C$70.17 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.($1=$1.31 Canadian)
Reuters - December 10, 2003.
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