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Gulf Keystone Announces Further Triassic
Discoveries in Kurdistan
24.11.2009
By William MacNamara
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November
24, 2009
Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. announces an additional
Triassic formation discovery in the Shaikan-1 well
in Kurdistan.
Triassic Results
This most recent Triassic discovery flowed at 10,000
barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day. This
results in an aggregate actual test rate of 20,000
boe per day from the Jurassic and Triassic tests
done thus far in Shaikan-1.
The Shaikan-1 well reached total depth (TD) at 2950
meters. Gulf Keystone then conducted its second test
in the Triassic (the first Triassic test flowed 2000
bopd and 2 million scf of gas). This second Triassic
test (2582m to 2849m) produced 6000 bopd of 53 to 55
degree API oil and 21 mmscf/day of gas or 10,000 boe
per day.
The first Triassic test was severely limited by
surface restrictions and down hole tool problems.
Internal engineering analysis of the test data
indicates that the first Triassic zone could have
flowed at rates up to 14,000 boe per day.
This gives the Triassic section alone, potential
aggregate rates of about 24,000 boe per day.
The final TD of 2950 meters was determined by the
fact that Gulf Keystone encountered a zone of very
active oil and gas inflow immediately below a
sealing layer at 2940m. This zone also exhibited
high bottom hole pressures, well in excess of what
was anticipated, and thus exceeded the design
specifications of the well and the well head
equipment resulting in the need to seal off this
portion of the well bore. Although there is no
certainty,www.ekurd.netreliable
data from the nearest existing well indicates that
this zone is possibly 50 or more meters thick. This
high pressure portion of the Triassic as well as the
underlying Permian zone will be high priority
exploration targets at the bottom of the Shaikan-2
appraisal well scheduled to be drilled starting in
mid 2010.
Shaikan-1 Summary
Overall, the Shaikan-1 well has discovered over 1000
meters of oil column and over 200 meters of net pay.
Thus far Gulf Keystone has tested less than 30% of
this net pay. This 30% of net pay demonstrated the
capability for 31,000 boe per day of aggregate
production (7,000 bopd from the Jurassic and 24,000
boe per day from the Triassic). This aggregate
potential should rise significantly as the company
undertakes longer term well tests that will be
conducted after the drilling rig leaves location.
During these tests, the low energy, but excellent
permeability reservoirs of the Jurassic will be
tested using electric submersible pumps. These tests
will be conducted in the first half of 2010.
Todd Kozel, Executive Chairman, Gulf Keystone
Petroleum, stated:
"Shaikan-1 has exceeded the most optimistic
prognosis held at the start of drilling. Each phase
of drilling has resulted in significant discoveries,
and any one of the several target layers of the
Jurassic or Triassic intervals contain, by any
measure, outstanding volumes of oil-in-place. It is
our belief that the aggregate volumes suggest an
even larger future potential."
"The high pressure oil and gas encountered at TD
provide an excellent appraisal target and give
strong grounds that the Permian layer, below the
Triassic, should be subject to early exploration."
John Gerstenlauer, Chief Operating Officer, said:
"The upper Triassic oil and condensate finds
announced today, with their associated gas volumes,
will be invaluable in the development of the Shaikan
discoveries. The excellent permeabilities
encountered throughout the well, combined with the
availability of significant quantities of gas from
the upper Triassic, encourage us to believe that
industry average recovery factors (30-35%) might be
achievable in the various reservoirs of the
Shaikan-1 exploration well. This theory will be
evaluated further during the upcoming extended well
test."
Gulf Keystone Petroleum summary of drill stem tests
(DSTs) for the Shaikan-1 well
• Test #1 in the Jurassic at 1450 to 1510 meters
tested 22 degree API oil with relatively low
gas-to-oil ratios at a rate of 7,000 bopd despite
surface equipment restrictions. This zone will be
put on long term production test in Q2 of 2010.
• Test #2 in the Jurassic at 1627 to 1667 meters
tested 19 degree API oil with low gas content at a
rate of 120 bopd. High formation permeability
indicates that use of standard production
technology, such as electric submersible pumps (ESPs)
or gaslift should result in very significant
production rates. This will be evaluated as part of
an extended well test in early 2010.
• Test #3 in the Jurassic at 1783 to 1814 meters
tested 17 degree API oil with very low gas content
and thus low reservoir energy. High formation
permeability indicates that use of secondary lift
methods such as ESPs or gaslift should result in
very significant production rates. This will be
evaluated as part of an extended well test in early
2010.
• Test #4 in the upper Triassic at 2404 to 2485
meters flowed 2000 bopd of 43 degree API oil and 2
mmscfpd gas. Free flow was restricted due to
significant interference from the downhole test
tools and surface test equipment, however test data
indicates a potential free flow capability of 12,000
bopd and 12 mmscfpd of gas or about 14,000 boe per
day.
• Test #5 in the upper Triassic at 2582 to 2849
meters resulted in flow rates of 6,000 bopd of light
53 degree API oil and 21 mmscfpd of gas.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
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