Iraq

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 24 – A group led by Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda, encountered shallow live oil shows at the Shaikan-1 exploration well in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Much pore space in the shallow part of the hole contained tar and very heavy, dead oil. The lighter, live oil was encountered below 1,350 m. Oil shows greatly increased as the company reamed the 8-1/2 in. hole to 17-1/2 in.

The well is on the 283 sq km Shaikan block in an underexplored area near Dihok, 85 km northwest of Erbil. Planned TD is 3,000 to 3,500 m.

Block interests are Gulf Keystone 75%, Texas Keystone 5%, and MOL 20%.