By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 28 -- Yemen's Ministry of Oil and Minerals has approved a plan by Calgary-based operator Calvalley Petroleum Inc. to drill two exploration wells and four development wells on Block 9 in Yemen as part of a 10 well program to evaluate the block's commerciality. Two wells completed earlier this year were successfully drilled in Al Roidhat field in the Qishn oil structure.
Calvalley, operator of Block 9, intends to drill continuously until yearend. The first well, to be drilled to the basement, penetrating all geological horizons, will be followed by an initial exploration well at South Roidhat, a new prospect 5 km southwest of the Al Roidhat 1 discovery well.
The rig will then move to the 22 sq km Ras Noor prospect, an independent Qishn structure on the top of the plateau 7 km southeast of Al Roidhat 1.
Calvalley has suspended production testing of the Al Roidhat 2, Saar formation pending further well assessment. The company also is awaiting a third-party engineering assessment of the Auqban test completed in June. The results of these two tests will impact Block 9 development strategy.
