Apache makes oil discovery in Khalda Concession in Egypt's Western Desert

Apache Corp., Houston, has made an oil discovery in its Khalda concession in Egypt's Western Desert. On test, the Selkit-1X well flowed 5,103 b/d of oil from the top 31 ft of a 64-ft column.

June 4, 2002

2 min read

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, June 4 -- Apache Corp., Houston, has made an oil discovery in its Khalda concession in Egypt's Western Desert. On test, the Selkit-1X well flowed 5,103 b/d of oil from the top 31 ft of a 64-ft column, "which represents the thickest, best-developed Kharita sands yet encountered this far west of [the company's] Qarun concession, 225 miles away," Apache said.

The well flowed 40.3? gravity crude through a 1-in. choke with 278 psi flowing wellhead pressure on a testthat was constrained by pipeline limitations. The well was drilled to 10,370 ft TD and evaluated the Lower Kharita formation at 9,523-54 ft.

Selkit is Apache's eighth discovery worldwide this year. Apache holds 100% contractor interest in the concession.

"We have encountered Kharita pay at Khalda, but never of this quality," said Steve Farris, Apache president and chief operating officer. "This is an entirely new play on the concession, and we're excited about the possibility that it may extend beneath our Renpet field, located 4 miles west of the discovery."

In the coming months, Farris said that Apache will drill 2 wells to test Kharita sands in Renpet field. Previous wells in Renpet have tested only shallower Bahariya pay, Farris added.

"Based on the results of this initial test, 25 ft of Upper Kharita pay, as well as Upper and Lower Bahariya potential, will be tested from additional wellbores," the company said, adding that it plans to delineate the new field with additional wells in next few months.

"We set a record turnaround time on the Selkit discovery of 2 months from acquisition of 3D seismic data to development of a completely new prospect," Farris said.