Heritage begins oil production from Siberian field

June 15, 2007
Heritage Oil Corp. has begun oil production from one well at its Zapadno Chumpasskoye field in Western Siberia. Russian federal and local authorities have approved a pilot development project for the field that includes the drilling of more than 50 wells.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 15 -- Heritage Oil Corp. has begun oil production from one well at its Zapadno Chumpasskoye field in Western Siberia. Russian federal and local authorities have approved a pilot development project for the field that includes the drilling of more than 50 wells.

The producing well—No. 226—flowed freely at a rate of up to 540 b/d of 39° gravity oil through an 8-mm choke, with wellhead pressure of 4,140 psi. The well produced a total of 4,086 bbl of oil with no water over 10 days of tests through various choke sizes.

It currently is producing 400 b/d of oil, and test results indicate that its production rate could be increased by installing a downhole pump. Before deciding on pump installation, the company is conducting further analysis and reservoir modeling to evaluate stimulation potential and assist in reservoir characterization.

The produced crude is being sold locally.

Following the recent completion of the Zapadno Chumpasskoye oil separation and testing facility, the next stage of field facility construction, including the export pipeline tie-in, are being fast-tracked to coincide with expected production increases.

Meanwhile, the deviated appraisal well P No. 3, which was spud in May, is due to reach its target depth of 3,490 m (2,800 m TVD) in a late Jurassic sandstone reservoir in about 10 days.

The well will then be logged, cased, and suspended prior to skidding the rig to the next surface location for drilling the second deviated appraisal well. A workover rig will be used to test P No. 3 in July. The company intends to complete the well as a future oil producer. It is the first to be drilled in a program comprising three appraisal wells and an initial 16 development wells.

The Zapadno Chumpasskoye field development plan includes significant production growth with the drilling of more than 50 wells and the future installation of waterflood injection facilities, Heritage said.