Algeria: Ain Tsila Ordovician gas rates considerable

Petroceltic International PLC issued final test results on the AT-9 appraisal well in Ain Tsila field in eastern Algeria that appear to be among the highest gas flow rates achieved from an unstimulated Ordovician well in Algeria.
Dec. 16, 2011

Petroceltic International PLC issued final test results on the AT-9 appraisal well in Ain Tsila field in eastern Algeria that appear to be among the highest gas flow rates achieved from an unstimulated Ordovician well in Algeria.

Petroceltic operates the Isarene permit in the southern Illizi basin with a 56.625% interest, Sonatrach has 25%, and Enel has 18.375% pending final ratification by the Algerian authorities.

Following debottlenecking of the surface flow lines at well AT-9, the well has now tested at a maximum flow rate of 67.6 MMscfd. Besides being without fracture stimulation, the test rate was constrained by surface facility capacity.

The upper zone flowed at rates of 11.7-67.6 MMscfd plus 360-1,005 b/d of condensate with 2,342-933 psig flowing wellhead pressures on 32-181/64-in. chokes. The lower zone flowed at 6.8-8.9 MMcfd plus 17-205 b/d of condensate with 331-1,356 psig FWHP on 32-84/64-in. chokes.

The company said, “The relatively high flowing well head pressure indicates that the well could potentially deliver at higher rates in a production setting and underlines our confidence in achieving our planned development plateau rates of 400 MMscfd.”

About the Author

Alan Petzet

Chief Editor Exploration

Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.

Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.

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