Atrush field eastern extension gauged in Iraq Kurdistan

Sept. 2, 2013
A well drilled by Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. PJSC’s TAQA Atrush BV subsidiary has extended the Atrush field area 6.5 km to the east on the Atrush block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

A well drilled by Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. PJSC’s TAQA Atrush BV subsidiary has extended the Atrush field area 6.5 km to the east on the Atrush block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The Atrush-3 appraisal well went to a total depth of 1,806 m. The wellsite is 6.5 km east of the AT-2 well and 9.6 km east of the AT-1 discovery well.

AT-3 was designed as a stepout to reduce the uncertainty on the depth and nature of the oil-water contact and free water level in the Jurassic Barsarin-Sargelu-Alan-Mus (BSAM) reservoir.

The well met predrill expectations by finding the BSAM reservoir entirely oil-bearing and the Jurassic Butmah reservoir in the water leg. Atrush field is under appraisal drilling providing valuable information such as oil-water contact definition, oil gravity-viscosity variations, extent of quality reservoir, permeability, and porosity data, etc. All data is important for development planning and future resource updates.

A successful coring campaign was completed on AT-3 recovering seven cores totaling more than 72 m from the BSAM section. Three drillstem tests were run with the results confirming the extension of the field area 6.5 km to the east.

DST-1 was a short test over an 18-m interval in the uppermost porosity section of the Butmah formation. On an electric submersible pump the well produced 1,500 b/d of water with 1-6% viscous oil cut. The test indicates that the tested interval is in close proximity to the deepest calculated FWL in the AT-1 and AT-2 wells.

DST-2 was run over a 30-m interval across the Lower Alan and Mus formations. The test produced up to 1,500 b/d of 10-17° gravity oil with no water.

DST-3 was over an 18-m interval of the Sargelu formation. The well was produced at rates up to 600 b/d of 12-14° gravity oil.

All rates are rough estimates only due to an inability due to for technical reasons to route fluids through the test separator. Bottomhole samples from the DSTs will undergo PVT analysis in coming weeks. AT-3 has been suspended as a potential future producer.

Other activity includes work on the Atrush Block field development plan that culminated with its submission for approval to the Kurdistan Regional Government on May 6, 2013, in accordance with the terms of the PSC. The FDP was presented in detail to the Ministry of Natural Resources in June 2013 and discussions are progressing with the MNR towards obtaining necessary approval for the plan.

In June 2013, a successful interference test was successfully completed between AT-1 and AT-2 that provided valuable reservoir information. The wells, which are 3.1 km apart, confirmed pressure communication and multidarcy horizontal permeability through the fracture system in the BSAM reservoir.

ShaMaran President and CEO Pradeep Kabra said, "The results of the AT-3 well are important for the future development of the Atrush field. Our objective is to put the field into production as early as possible to take advantage of the improving political and economic conditions in the region. We look forward to the results of the Atrush-4 well (targeting the undrilled updip area of the field) which is due to spud in the next few weeks."

TAQA Atrush operates the block with a 39.9% working interest. ShaMaran Petroleum Corp., Vancouver, BC, holds a 20.1% working interest through its wholly owned subsidiary, ShaMaran Ventures BV (100% owner of General Exploration Partners, Inc.). Marathon Oil KDV BV, a subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corp., has 15%, and subsequent to its back-in the KRG has 25%.