Exploration progressing in Southeast Turkey areas

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Aladdin Middle East Ltd., Ankara, is boosting its exploration and development activities in southeastern Turkey.

The company has boosted production in Zeynel field in the Adiyaman area and is moving toward exploration in the Mardin area near the border with Syria.

Zeynel progress

Zeynel field averaged 1,200 b/d of 23.5° gravity oil during January following completion of the Zeynel 9 well early in the month. The field averaged 680 b/d from 8 wells in 1997.

Zeynel-9, which went on production in January 1998, registered initial flowing production of 1,488 b/d of oil from fractured Cretaceous Karabogaz. TD is 4,653 ft.

The well is to be deepened to Cretaceous Karababa C, Zeynel field's primary reservoir, once the current horizon is depleted.

Aladdin planned to conduct a study on the feasibility of building a 22 km pipeline from Zeynel to Turkish Petroleum Corp.'s Cemberlitas field, which is on the Adiyaman oil pipeline.

The lease's production would have to exceed 2,000 b/d to justify the pipeline, and this could happen later this year, Aladdin said. Zeynel-10 is to spud in March, and two more wells are planned this year.

The field's reserves are estimated at 4.3 million bbl from 14.3 million bbl in place. The reserves are up from about 3 million bbl 2 years ago. Cumulative production to Jan. 1, 1998, is 382,663 bbl.

Aladdin Middle East holds 100% working interest in production lease ARI/ AME/3170 containing Zey- nel field. Turkan Petrol Ltd., a unit of Trans-Dominion Energy Corp., Calgary, holds a 12.5% royalty on the production from the lease, which contains Zeynel, Hasancik, and South Hasancik fields. The royalty is generating income of more than $300,000/ month.

Aladdin's 1998 program includes extensive 2D seismic acquisition over Hasancik and South Hasancik fields, to be followed by development drilling in 1999.

Reservoir studies are to be conducted later over the other two fields, which have one producing well each. The lease also contains at least two exploration leads.

Trans-Dominion holds working interests of 30-100% in eight exploration licenses covering more than 900,000 acres in the Zagros fold belt west of Zeynel field.

Mardin exploration

A group of companies including has begun a search in a lightly explored area between the Syrian border and the Mardin high in southeastern Turkey.

Aladdin is operator of eight blocks, 3350, 3351, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3342, 3343, and 3344, covering a combined area of more than 1 million acres. The group consists of Aladdin, Ersan Petrol Sanayii AS, and White Wolf Exploration LLP. Geological and geophysical studies have started on the licenses, granted in 1996.

Ersan said the area contains an undrilled Paleozoic basin on the Arabian plate that is fed by rich Silurian aged source rocks and contains hydrocarbon potential. Trans-Dominion said that if oil is present it believes it would be trapped by large structures in Devonian and Ordovician aged sandstones.

The participants have approached larger oil companies in connection with financing a work program. The seismic program consists of about 250 km of 2D seismic in 1998 followed by a wildcat in 1999.

Trans-Dominion also holds a 50% working interest with Aladdin in more than 600,000 acres on five blocks in an area lying northwest of the eight Ersan blocks. The partners are trying to farm out a seismic option there.

Trans-Dominion also said it has completed a farmout, subject to government approval, in the gas prone Thrace basin of western Turkey. It sold its 25% stake in Thrace Basin Natural Gas (Turkey) Corp. and has independently applied for two new licenses. Upon completion of the farmout and if the new licenses are obtained, Trans-Dominion will have interests of 47.5-50% in more than 600,000 acres in the Thrace area.