Namibia: Repsol well hits snags

Repsol has suspended drilling of the Welwitschia-1A well in the Walvis Basin following a series of technical problems. Partner Tower Resources said on 27 May it expected drilling to resume in the first week of June and to be completed within budget. The well spudded on 23 April using the Rowan Renaissance drillship. Following installation of the 36-inch casing, it was observed that the pressurised wellhead housing had slumped. The partners decided to plug and abandon the original well and re-spud 50 metres away. Drilling resumed at the new site on 1 May, but was further delayed by a fault in the blow-out preventer (BOP) control system, which Tower said it expected to be resolved shortly.