ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), ONGC’s wholly-owned subsidiary and overseas arm has made the discovery. The Urraca-IX well was spudded on April 20, 2022, and drilled to a target depth (TD) of 10956 feet, where it encountered 17-foot-thick oil-bearing sands between 10201 and 10218 feet below the surface.

Fluid flowed at about 600 bbl./day during first testing with an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP), with oil at a temperature of 16°API and about 40–50% W/C. This well’s discovery of oil in the Lower Mirador plays creates fresh opportunities for additional development in the block’s northern region.

In the block’s Mariposa and Indico fields, which are currently commercially producing at a rate of @20,000 bbl oil per day, ONGC Videsh has previously identified commercial oil in the Lower Sand pay.
ONGC Videsh Limited received Block CPO-5 in the 2008 Columbia bid round. Partner Geopark owns the remaining 30% of the block, with ONGC Videsh holding the remaining 70% participation interest (PI) and operatorship.

Due to its joint ownership of the oil-producing company Mansarovar Energy Colombia Ltd. and three other exploratory blocks in Columbia, ONGC Videsh has substantial involvement in the country’s oil and gas industry (MECL). Oil finding in a new play in the block with the well Urraca-IX confirms ONGC Videsh’s technical and operational ability and gives it one more accomplishment to add to its long-running exploration and drilling effort in Columbia.