Syria: Abu Ghazal well finds subcommercial oil

June 2, 2011
Gulfsands Petroleum PLC encountered subcommercial quantities of viscous heavy oil at the Abu Ghazal-1 exploratory well on Block 26 in northeastern Syria and is moving the rig to drill the No. 19 well in Khurbet East field.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 2
-- Gulfsands Petroleum PLC encountered subcommercial quantities of viscous heavy oil at the Abu Ghazal-1 exploratory well on Block 26 in northeastern Syria and is moving the rig to drill the No. 19 well in Khurbet East field.

The AGZ-1 well went to 3,850 m measured depth to evaluate potential reservoirs in the Cretaceous Massive and Triassic Butmah and Kurrachine dolomite formations in a large, fault bound structure identified and mapped on 3D seismic.

It topped Massive at 2,572 m MD and in spite of elevated gas readings while drilling, the section drilled at this location was found to contain relatively poor reservoir properties, and drill cuttings indicated only traces of oxidized oil and asphalt.

It topped Butmah at 3,287 m MD with elevated gas readings and traces of oil in the mud system. Interpretation of wireline logs indicated a significant oil column, but no formation fluids were recovered when testing. The lack of fluid flow from the formation is interpreted to be due to low permeability.

It topped Kurrachine at 3,456 m MD. Substantially elevated gas readings were encountered while drilling this section, and live oil was recovered in coring operations. Interpretation of wireline logs indicated a significant oil column. Testing resulted in subcommercial volumes of very heavy to heavy 12° gravity oil and highly saline formation water.

Khurbet East-19, on the field’s northwest flank, is a further stepout from the KHE-18 delineation well that encountered high-quality karst reservoir in Massive. KHE-19 will evaluate an area estimated to contain 30 million stb of oil-in-place. If successful, there will exist a chance for possible Khurbet East reserves to be matured to probable and proven reserves categories at the end of 2011.