Norwegian independent DNO International has announced that it has resumed operations in Yemen, after contractors and rig personnel returned to the country, and has confirmed a discovery in the Kurdish region of Iraq.
In Yemen’s Block 32, the Tasour-27 well, the first in a new drilling campaign to be undertaken by DNO, was spud on 2 July using the ZEPB Rig 905, recently serviced and now under long-term contract to the Company.
On Block 53, operated by Dove Energy, the Bayoot-11 well is drilling ahead and has reached a depth of 2,800 meters.
On Block 47, in which DNO has a 50% stake, a joint venture has been set up to operate the field under a new model for upstream development and production activities in the country. First oil from the Yaalen discovery on the block is expected by the end of 2013 with the installation of early production facilities capable of delivering 5,000 barrels per day, followed by a permanent facility with a capacity of 10,000 barrels per day at a later stage.
In the Kurdish region of Iraq, the firm has completed testing of the Peshkabir-1 well at the giant Tawke field and is preparing to submit a discovery notice. DNO unveiled the presence of movable oil in the Jurassic interval at the well in mid-June.
Drilled to a total depth of 4,092 meters, the deepest yet for the Company in Iraq, Peshkabir-1 targeted a large undrilled feature west of the currently producing Tawke field. Oil shows were encountered in the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic intervals and six zones were tested. The Jurassic Sargelu formation tested 27-29 API oil and water at varying rates of oil and water cut. The Triassic Kura Chine A and B intervals and the Cretaceous Mushora, Quamchuqa and Shiranish intervals produced formation water.
Together with Genel Energy, DNO will now undertake detailed evaluation of the results of the well; a proposal to acquire approximately 200 square kilometres of 3-D seismic has already been submitted and approved by the Kurdish authorities.
The Peshkabir-1 well will be temporarily suspended for possible re-entry later this year and the drilling rig moved to the Erbil license to commence the Benenan and Bastora field development. The first of two back-to-back wells, Benenan-3, is expected to spud in late July.
The Tawke-18 production well, spud on 28 May, is drilling ahead at 1,462 meters, about halfway to the planned total depth of 3,085 meters. The well is designed for additional Cretaceous production towards the target 100,000 barrels per day yearend Tawke field deliverability. The well will also test an exploration target below the main field bounding fault.
In parallel with its stepped up operational activities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Company continues to ramp up production and sales of oil to the local market, though DNO declined to provide up to date sales figures.
The developments in Kurdistan were confirmed by a parallel announcement by Genel.
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