IPR continues exploration program in Egypt

Irving, Tex., independent IPR Inc. reported continued drilling success and a series of Western Desert and Nile Delta, Egypt, discoveries through this year’s first 5 months.

IPR’s calendar year drilling program in Egypt budgeted for the drilling of 23 wells, making 2017 one of the most active years operationally for IPR since its 1993 acquisition of the Phillips Petroleum Western Desert assets.

The work program includes onshore exploration, appraisal, and development drilling, and workovers offshore in the Gulf of Suez.

IPR’s 10 licenses of both operated and nonoperated concessions cover 6.2 million acres in some of Egypt’s most prolific hydrocarbon systems.

IPR’s North Ras Qattara concession in the Western Desert saw success from NRQ-11X and appraisal well NRQ-9-2, which tested 715 bo/d and 3,700 bo/d, respectively. Both discoveries were from the Abu Roash “G” formation (ARG) in separate structures. After choking the discovery wells, production in the lease increased 60% to 4,100 bo/d.

The encouraging outcome of the results have prompted expanded drilling plans in the near term along with eventual monetizing of the deep Jurassic gas-condensate discoveries in NRQ-3151 and NRQ-8X.

In the Nile Delta’s South Disouq concession, where IPR holds 45% working interest, the exploration discovery of the Phase I commitment well, SD-1X, was drilled to 11,068 ft. The gas-condensate discovery in the Abu Maadi formation at 7,100 ft tested 25.8 MMcfd and 43 bbl of condensate on a 48/64-in. choke.