Iraq oil discovery's test rate improved

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 11 -- Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. reported a stable test rate of 1,250 b/d of 19.7° gravity oil at the Shaikan-1 discovery in Iraq Kurdistan, up from 128 b/d on a test in 2009.

The natural flow, which the company said resulted from a much-improved test setup, came from the Jurassic Mus formation at 1,627-67 m at 50 psi flowing wellhead pressure with a gas-oil ratio of 10 scf/bbl.

Furthermore, tests using a low-capacity electric submersible pump resulted in rates up to 2,250 b/d of oil.

The workover rig will now test Jurassic Sargelu at 1,450-1,510 m and then configure the well for long-term production testing. The 283 sq km Shaikan block is 90 km northwest of Erbil.

John Gerstenlauer, chief operating officer of Gulf Keystone, said, “This retest of the Mus formation demonstrates that even this very low GOR zone is capable of substantial natural flow production rates when properly configured. In addition, it gives us further encouragement for future development, having demonstrated significantly increased production values even with a low capacity ESP.”