Yemen: Calvalley updates Masila Block 9 oil output

Oct. 10, 2012
Calvalley Petroleum Inc., Calgary, said its Ras Nowmah-4 appraisal well on Block 9 in Yemen’s Masila basin is on early production at a restricted 400 b/d of oil from Cretaceous Qishn with limited pressure drawdown.

Calvalley Petroleum Inc., Calgary, said its Ras Nowmah-4 appraisal well on Block 9 in Yemen’s Masila basin is on early production at a restricted 400 b/d of oil from Cretaceous Qishn with limited pressure drawdown.

The initial results indicate that the well is capable of producing at a higher rate. Ras Nowman-4, which went to 1,475 m and encountered 9 m of net Qishn oil column, is the second appraisal well that offsets the 2010 Ras Nowmah-2 discovery well.

The Phase 1 production test, which began on Oct. 7, will allow the well time to cleanup and for the company to determine the proper sized pump for long-term production operations.

Ras Nowmah-5, which was drilled before Ras Nowmah-4 and encountered 11 m of net oil column, will be completed after the contractor performs a remedial operation to ensure the integrity of the cement behind the production casing.

Gross production is averaging 5,500-5,700 b/d, including 2,300 b/d at Hiswah, 2,100 b/d at Ras Nowmah-2, and 1,200 b/d at Al Roidhat. Production averaged 4,700 b/d in the quarter ended Sept. 30 due to heavy rains that restricted trucking of oil from the plateau.

The company sold 160,056 bbl of oil in the quarter at an average expected to exceed $110/bbl and had a quarter’s end crude oil inventory estimated at 40,000-45,000 bbl.