Vintage appraisal well indicates discovery potential in Yemen republic

May 14, 2003
Tests by Vintage Petroleum Inc. of its second appraisal well indicate the continuity of productive oil and gas sands over that structure and "the potential of a new exploration play in the Sab'atayn basin," company officials said Wednesday.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, May 14 -- Tests by Vintage Petroleum Inc., Tulsa, of its second appraisal well—drilled to evaluate the subsalt Lam formation of its An Nagyah 2 discovery in Yemen—indicate the continuity of productive oil and gas sands over that structure and "the potential of a new exploration play in the Sab'atayn basin," company officials said Wednesday.

"Our focus will be to complete the technical and economic evaluation required to determine if sufficient reserves and long-term production rates exist to justify field development," said S. Craig George, Vintage CEO.

The An Nagyah 4 appraisal well, drilled to a total depth of 5,074 ft, tested 45° oil from the Upper Lam formation. Company officials said electric log and pressure analysis indicate a gas-bearing interval of 115 ft gross and an oil-bearing interval of 191 ft. A 99 ft interval in the Upper Lam was perforated between 3,385-493 ft and tested at a stabilized rate of 1,320 b/d of light, water-free oil and 800 Mcfd of gas, with a flowing tubing pressure of 335 psi.

The Upper Lam interval tested in the appraisal well correlates to the interval in the discovery well that tested 1,091 b/d of oil, officials said (OGJ Online, Dec. 11, 2002). They said the appraisal well encountered the Lower Lam formation downdip and below the water-oil contact, and so was not tested. The first appraisal well, An Nagyah 3, tested in the Lower Lam formation in a structural position above the water-oil contact at 205 b/d.

Vintage is operator with 75% working interest in the 85,000-acre S-1 Damis block.