EP Petroecuador will increase natural gas production at Amistad field offshore Ecuador by reworking existing wells with investment from China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC).
Petroecuador and CNPC signed a specialized contract to recondition wells with a jack-up platform, marking a return of offshore operations with a jack-up platform to the country's only offshore base after more than a decade, the company said in a release Aug. 18.
Mobilization of the platform from China will begin after the $78-million contract is signed between both parties in the next few days. Reconditioning work will be carried out on four wells starting in October.
Currently, Amistad field produces about 20 MMcfd. With the work to be carried out, it is estimated that production will exceed 40 MMcfd. EP Petroecuador has been carrying out reconditioning work in closed wells in this same block since early August, which is expected to add up to an additional 5 MMcfd of production before the rig becomes available.
The initiative is part of a priority set by the Ecuadorian government to increase natural gas supply to the Termogas Machala thermoelectric plant.
