Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent
MELBOURNE, July 26 -- Oil Search Ltd., Sydney, and partners Voyager Energy Ltd. and Adelphi Energy Ltd., both of Perth, and Kuwaiti company Kufpec (Aden) Ltd. have been awarded Blocks 7 and 74 in Yemen's 2005 international bid round.
Block 7 is in the eastern part of the oil-producing Shabwah basin where 120,000 b/d of oil is being produced, mostly from Blocks 18 and 20.
Work commitments for Block 7 over the first 3-year exploration period include reprocessing existing seismic data, acquiring 250 km of new 2D seismic data, and drilling four wells.
Block 74 lies in the Masila basin to the south, where 250,000 b/d of oil is being produced, mostly from Block 14.
On Block 74 the first 3 years of exploration includes reprocessing existing seismic data, acquiring 250 km of 2D seismic data, and drilling three exploration wells.
In addition, Oil Search is awaiting final ratification of a production-sharing agreement in Block 3 awarded to Oil Search and Petoil Petroleum & Petroleum Products International Exploration & Production Inc. For Block 3, the exploration period is 30 months, during which time the partners must acquire 300 km of new 2D seismic data and drill one well.
