TransAtlantic tests Mardin oil, eyes Thrace deep gas

Sept. 8, 2011
TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd., Dallas, has completed a new oil field discovery in the Cretaceous Mardin Group in southeastern Turkey and has mobilized a rig to drill its first deep Thrace basin gas test.

TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd., Dallas, has completed a new oil field discovery in the Cretaceous Mardin Group in southeastern Turkey and has mobilized a rig to drill its first deep Thrace basin gas test.

The Goksu-1 well on Molla License 4174 opens an oil field on a structure that 2D seismic data indicate may cover 2,500 acres. Initial flow rate is 340 b/d of 23° gravity oil with 20% water cut on choke after light acid skin stimulation from the Mardin group at 5,500 ft.

The well was drilled in 2010 to test the Bedinan sands, which was unsuccessful, and the Silurian-aged Dadas shale, which tested gas-condensate at noncommercial rates on a vertical completion. In light of the discovery, TransAtlantic is evaluating further development on License 4174, held 100%.

On Arpatepe License 3118 just south of 4174, the company as operator is preparing to test the Bedinan sands at the Arpatepe-4 exploratory well. Also, the Aladdin Middle East Ltd.-operated Kocahoyuk-1 exploratory well found the Bedinan sands low to prognosis and was plugged and abandoned.

TransAtlantic and AME expect to drill at least two more development wells and one more exploratory well on 3118 this year, with AME funding the development wells and TransAtlantic funding the exploration well.

In the Thrace basin, the company will test Mezarde sands at 7,500-10,500 ft beneath the shallow producing Alpullu gas field (see map, OGJ, Oct. 4, 2010, p. 56). It has resumed a pilot fracture stimulation program on shallow gas wells acquired with Thrace Basin Natural Gas (Turkiye) Corp. and will later move the frac crew to Selmo oil field in southeastern Turkey.