Apache's Qasr-1X discovery marks Egypt's Western Desert as substantial hydrocarbon province

Apache Corp., Houston, Monday reported the "most-significant discovery" to date in Egypt's Western Desert with its Qasr-1X discovery well, which tested at a combined rate of 51.8 MMcfd of natural gas and 2,688 b/d of condensate from two zones.

July 8, 2003

2 min read

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, July 7 -- Apache Corp., Houston, Monday reported the "most-significant discovery" to date in Egypt's Western Desert with its Qasr-1X discovery well, which tested at a combined rate of 51.8 MMcfd of natural gas and 2,688 b/d of condensate from two zones.

The well logged 606 ft of net pay from six formations at 6,917-13,581 ft, Apache said. Pressure analysis of the Jurassic reservoirs at Qasr indicates the presence of a 670-ft vertical hydrocarbon column.

"The Qasr 1-X is the most-significant gas discovery in the Western Desert in the last decade," said Apache CEO and Pres. G. Steven Farris. "It is perhaps the most-significant discovery in Apache's 49-year history and establishes the Western Desert as an important hydrocarbon province well into the 21st Century."

A production test of the Lower Safa reservoir from perforations between 12,908 ft and 13,084 ft yielded 38.1 MMcfd of gas and 2,155 b/d of condensate from a 1-in. choke with 2,549 psi of flowing wellhead pressure.

The thickest pay interval of 311 net ft was found in the Jurassic Ras Qattara reservoir, but only 90 ft of the least prospective upper zone could be tested due to mechanical problems encountered while completing the well. Perforated at 13,252 ft-13,345 ft, it flowed 13.7 MMcfd of gas on test and 533 b/d of condensate on a 1-in. choke with 851 psi of flowing wellhead pressure.

"The lower part of the Ras Qattara that we were unable to test appears to be of even better quality than the upper interval," Farris said. "The Ras Qattara is a blanket sand which tends to cover very large areas," he noted.

Apache plans to drill an offset to the discovery and a twin well to test prospective AEB 5 and upper and lower Bahariya oil sands that were encountered uphole in the Qasr-1X. Preliminary plans are to connect the new field to its Salam gas plant, 17 miles away.

The discovery, which was identified by a 105-sq mile, 3D seismic survey acquired in 2002, is in the Ozoris area of Apache's 2.3 million acre Khalda concession in the Western Desert. Apache operates Khalda with a 100% contractor interest (OGJ Online July 23, 2002).