Yemen’s Howarime Block 32 joint venture group, led by Norway's Det Norske Oljeskap (DNO) has drilled a successful development well named Tasour-8. This is DNO’s sixth production well on the Tasour oilfield.
The Tasour #8 brings the field’s production capacity to 20,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), of which DNO's share is 8,000 bopd. DNO plans to direct this added capacity toward export. The well, which commenced drilling in December 2002, was drilled to total depth and cased as a dual-zone oil well.
Tasour #8 supports the results of Tasour #7, completed in October 2002, which confirmed the presence of oil in a new zone below the main reservoir. This finding raised the field’s ultimate oil reserves to 20 million barrels.
Since December 2002, the Tasour field has produced 7.5 million barrels of oil, with remaining oil reserves of 12.5 million. When the Tasour field came on stream November 2000 the production capacity was 10,000 bopd and the ultimate oil reserves were estimated at eight million barrels. Having produced 7.5 million barrels of oil over the past two years, DNO estimates that there currently are 50 percent more oil reserves than initially estimated.
The initial production rate of Tasour #8 was 9,000 bopd. However, this capacity is expected to drop later on. Work is now ongoing on two other production wells, where pumps will be replaced by January-end. By mid-February, additional pumping equipment will be installed in the field.
DNO now plans to drill another well at a new structure close to the Tasour field (Haibish). DNO will also commence drilling on Block 43 later this year. Additional wells will be drilled on the Sharyoof Field in Block 53.
DNO is the Operator for Block 32 (Tasour) and Block 43, and is Partner in Block 53. Tasour oil is exported to the Block 14 central production facilities which are operated by Nexen. The joint venture currently consists of DNO, the operator with 38.95 percent interest, and partners Ansan Wikfs Hadramaut (43 percent), TransGlobe (13 percent), and the Yemen Company (five percent). — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
