AUSTRALIA-BASED Nido Petroleum Ltd. said three dimensional (3D) seismic survey is under way on the Kawayan oil block in East Sabina in southwest Palawan.

In a disclosure, Nido said the seismic program comprises 840 square kilometers of 3D seismic survey  over the southwest sector of the block and is being acquired by contractor PGS using the multi-streamer 3D seismic vessel MV Pacific Orient.

Nido added that the survey will take between 35 to 40 days to complete.

Nido holds 50-percent interest in the project together with Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC).

Since the acquisition of the East Sabina 2D seismic program in late 2007, Nido said the SC 63 joint venture has made significant strides in the subsurface interpretation of the block.

 Nido also noted that this work has identified the southwest sector of the block around the Aboabo A1-X gas discovery found by Phillips 1981 as having significant exploration potential.

Nido added that multiple leads have been mapped at the shallow Miocene-aged play fairway (found gas-bearing at Aboabo A-1X) and at the deeper, untested Nido Limestone play fairway level.

 The maturation of these leads to prospect level and potential drilling candidates is the primary focus of the 3D seismic program.

Presurvey operations started some weeks before the arrival of the MV Pacific Orient into SC 63 with the acquisition of a high- resolution bathymetric survey over the 3D seismic area.

This survey was an important prelude to the current 3D operations, providing detailed information on the location of seabed features such as reefs and shallow shoals, and a key part of the SC 63 joint venture’s HSE and Environmental Risk Management planning for the survey.

 “SC 63 overlies the northeast extension of the prolific oil and gas basins offshore Sabah where the SC 63 joint venture has identified similar plays based on the broad-spaced East Sabina 2D seismic.

The new 3D will allow the Joint Venture to mature the numerous leads identified around the intriguing Aboabo A-1X gas discovery to prospect status from which the SC 63 joint venture can select potential drilling candidates,” said Jon Pattillo, Nido exploration head.