Total group has hefty oil find in South Yemen

Aug. 21, 1995
A group led by France's Total has tested a sizable discovery in Yemen's East Shabwa area.(57800 bytes) The find is just west of other recent discoveries that in turn are near Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd.'s Masila block fields, which account for almost half the country's oil production. Total and partners 1 Wadi Taribah wildcat in the East Shabwa contract area (ESCA) flowed 36 gravity oil at a stabilized rate of 1,459 b/d through a 4864 in. choke during a drillstem test of

A group led by France's Total has tested a sizable discovery in Yemen's East Shabwa area.(57800 bytes)

The find is just west of other recent discoveries that in turn are near Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd.'s Masila block fields, which account for almost half the country's oil production.

Well results

Total and partners 1 Wadi Taribah wildcat in the East Shabwa contract area (ESCA) flowed 36 gravity oil at a stabilized rate of 1,459 b/d through a 4864 in. choke during a drillstem test of fractured basement at 2,475-2,554 m.

At its current 2,554 m total depth, 1 Wadi Taribah has not defined a base to either the fractures or the oil shows, said interest owner Command Petroleum Ltd., Sydney. Because of this, the ESCA joint venture (JV) is considering deepening the well to an undisclosed depth to more fully evaluate vertical extent of the oil filled fracture system.

Command noted that while fractured basement is generally regarded as an unusual exploration target, it is considered a valid target in this part of Yemen. It cites as 1 Wadi Taribah's geological analog Sunah oil field, about 30 km east in the Masila block.

Masila block fields, with reserves pegged at more than 500 million bbl of oil, currently produce a combined 150,000 b/d (OGJ, Aug. 22, 1994, pp. 28).

Development prospects

Command also noted that the Wadi Taribah discovery lies 15 km north of Kharir oil field, which the ESCA JV plans to develop along with Northwest Atuf oil field during the next 12-18 months.

Command said, "If further results from 1 Wadi Taribah are encouraging and the field is successfully appraised, it should be possible to develop the field cost efficiently in conjunction with the Kharir and Atuf development."

Command said a recent significant increase in the cost oil limit covered by the ESCA production sharing agreement enhances commerciality of the proposed Kharir-Northwest Atuf development. The change allows faster recovery of capital outlays from production revenues.

The 1 Wadi Taribah is the first well drilled on the permit since November 1993. It also is the first of a multiwell 1995 drilling program.

After completion, the rig will move about 6 km south of Kharir field to drill the 2 HEK wildcat. Plans also call for the 4 Kharir appraisal well to follow the 2 HEK.

Division of interests is operator Total Yemen, Unocal Middle East Ltd., and Command affiliate Comeco Petroleum Inc. 28.57% each and Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Co. 13.28%.

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