Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) , Sugar Land, Tex., has requested industry proposals for projects on gas shales, coalbed methane water management, and tight sands. The full text of the RFPs is on the RPSEA web site. The proposals are due Jan. 12, 2009, for projects to start around April 2009.

The focus of the gas shales proposal is on the challenges associated with development of the shale resource from the Permian basin through the Fort Worth basin and in southern Appalachian shale gas basins.

Concepts may include characterization of parameters that differentiate high-performing wells and development of methods to assess production potential, model production results, delineate the fracture system, develop extra-extended lateral drilling techniques, develop steer able hydraulic fracs, and a host of other concepts.

Another request is for development of tools, techniques, and methods to gready reduce the cost and environmental impact of CBM and shale gas development through more effective management of water used and produced in drilling, completion, stimulation, and production.

The tight sands solicitation seeks proposals for development of tools, techniques, and methods to increase commercial production and ultimate recovery from established tight gas sand formations and accelerate development of emerging and frontier tight gas plays. This work is to be focused on the Rocky Mountain region.

India

Gujarat State Petroleum Corp. has drilled 15 exploration wells and two appraisal wells on the Sanand/Miroli block in India's Cambay basin, said partner GeoGlobal Resources Inc., Calgary.

The M-1, M-6, SE-2, SE-4, and SE-8 wells have been reported as discoveries. The SE-11 well went to TD 2,500 m and awaits testing, and SE-10 went to 1,900 m and is being logged.

The SE-8-A1 appraisal well, aimed at evaluating the Kalol pay zone encountered in SE-8, went to TD 1,450 m and is under test.

Indonesia

Niko Resources Ltd., Calgary, plans to earn a 25% nonoperated working interest from an affiliate of Black Gold Energy LLC in a nearly 5,000 sq km deepwater exploration block off southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The block was awarded recently to a group led by Marathon Oil Co. (OGJ Online, Oct. 22, 2008).

Peru

BPZ Resources Inc., Houston, has spud the CX11-1 5 D well in Corvina field on Block Z-1 in the Pacific off northwestern Peru.

Targeting known oil and gas sands updip, the well is likely to be drillstem tested for gas and be dually completed. Oil production would begin, and gas would await start-up of the company's gas-to- power project.

The next step is to begin redeveloping Albacora field by April 2009.