Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor
LOS ANGELES, May 6 -- Heritage Oil Corp. has reported the discovery of a giant oil field in Iraqi Kurdistan with 2.3-4.2 billion bbl of oil in place, of which 50-70% appears recoverable.
Exploration risk of an adjacent structure of similar size is greatly reduced, Heritage Oil said.
The company said it could start trucking production from Miran West-1 by the end of 2009, with individual flow rates likely to be 10,000-15,000 b/d/well.
A fractured gross oil-bearing interval of 710 m produced 27° gravity oil with low sulfur, no water, and a low gas-oil ratio.
The company drillstem tested Miran West-1, the first well ever drilled on the license, over a 500-m gross interval in the Shiranish, Kometan, and Qamchuqua formations. High reservoir pressures that characterize the region were not encountered in the well, Heritage said.
"Testing was severely constrained by the limitations of the downhole and surface testing equipment and the loss of over 100,000 bbl of drilling fluid and lost circulation material due to the highly fractured nature of the reservoirs," the company said.
More equipment to carry out longer term tests is expected within 6-8 weeks. Further drilling on the license is set for later in 2009.
The Miran West and East structures total 330 sq km.
Heritage Energy Middle East operates the Miran license with 75% interest, and Genel Energy International Ltd. has 25%. Heritage mapped the structures from 332 line-km of seismic shot between April and June 2008.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].