OXY GAUGES OIL STRIKE IN OMAN; WILDCAT SCHEDULED

Exploration activity is stirring in Oman. Occidental of Oman Inc. tested an oil discovery on its 1.6 million acre Suneinah block in Northwest Oman. And a trio of independents plans a wildcat on an undrilled block offsetting to Oxy's acreage. Oxy's 1 Wadi Latham flowed at a rate of 2,439 b/d of 40 gravity oil and 2.2 MMcfd of gas through an 10/64 in. choke from a 201 ft section of lower Cretaceous Shuaiba limestone at 6,719-6,920 ft in a medium radius horizontal hole. Oxy operates the

Oct. 25, 1993

2 min read

Exploration activity is stirring in Oman.

Occidental of Oman Inc. tested an oil discovery on its 1.6 million acre Suneinah block in Northwest Oman.

And a trio of independents plans a wildcat on an undrilled block offsetting to Oxy's acreage.

OXY'S DISCOVERY

Oxy's 1 Wadi Latham flowed at a rate of 2,439 b/d of 40 gravity oil and 2.2 MMcfd of gas through an 10/64 in. choke from a 201 ft section of lower Cretaceous Shuaiba limestone at 6,719-6,920 ft in a medium radius horizontal hole.

Oxy operates the well with a 65% interest, with Finland's Neste Oy holding the remainder.

Site is near the southern boundary of the block about 20 miles east of XI Barakah field, discovered by Oxy in 1991 (OGJ, Jan. 13, 1992, p. 25).

Oxy produces about 32,000 b/d of oil from Al Barakah and Safah field. Safah is a 1983 discovery.

Oxy drilled horizontal wells in developing both fields. The most recent producing well drilled in Safah attained a medium radius horizontal section of 4,944 ft, a record in the Middle East, the company said.

WILDCAT PLANNED

Arakis Energy Corp., Vancouver, B.C., and Aegis Energy Inc., Lafayette, La., signed letters of intent with American Exploration Co., Houston, to participate in a joint venture wildcat on American's Jebel Aswad block, also known as Block 15.

The combine's 1 Jebel Aswad, scheduled to spud in late November, will test middle Cretaceous Marih and Shuaiba. American said drilling to a proposed 11,500 ft will take 50-60 days at a gross cost of about $4 million.

American acquired Conquest Exploration Co. in February 1991, which had a production sharing agreement covering the 346,000 acre block (OGJ, Aug. 7, 1989, p. 31).

A unit of American will operate the well, while Arakis and Aegis will have 50% and 20% working interests, respectively.