Substation boosts Syria Block 26 oil output

Aug. 8, 2011
Gulf Sands Petroleum PLC started up the 3,000 b/d EFP 2 oil processing substation in Syria, hiking Block 26 oil production facility capacity to more than 24,000 b/d.

Gulf Sands Petroleum PLC started up the 3,000 b/d EFP 2 oil processing substation in Syria, hiking Block 26 oil production facility capacity to more than 24,000 b/d.

The substation, 1.8 km west of the Khurbet East Early Production Facility, separates gas from produced oil and pumps the stabilized crude into storage tanks in the EPF complex for delivery into the Khurbet East pipeline. Well KHE-19H has been tied into the substation and is estimated to be producing at a rate of more than 2,900 b/d of oil on a restricted choke.

The reconciled production rate achieved at the expanded facilities as of Aug. 6, 2011, was 24,054 b/d from Khurbet East and Yousefieh fields, comfortably achieving and exceeding the company’s previously announced yearend 2011 target of 24,000 b/d.

Gulfsands is operator with 50% interest in Block 26. Emerald Energy PLC, a subsidiary of Sinochem Resources UK Ltd., holds the other 50%.

Meanwhile, well KHE-19H achieved a flow rate of 5,516 b/d of 26° gravity oil, the highest yet measured from any well in Khurbet East field. The oil is similar in quality to that produced in the central part of the field. The rate was obtained during a 2-hr main flow period on a 48/64-in. choke with 132 psi average wellhead pressure and no formation water.

Narrowed to a 32/64-in. choke, the well was flowed for a further 3 hr at an average 3,828 b/d at 210 psi average wellhead pressure until tanks were full. The 67-m horizontal productive section is in a sidetrack drilled in a south-southeasterly direction from the original KHE-19 vertical hole.