Gazprom Neft commissions second well at Sarqala field

Gazprom Neft’s Middle East unit has commissioned a second well at the Sarqala field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.

The new well, Sarqala-2, is currently producing 11,000 barrels per day (bpd), with potential to increase this to 15,000. Total daily production at the field has now increased more than two-fold, exceeding 21,000 bpd, Gazprom Neft said in a statement.

“The Sarqala-2 well is operating under high reservoir pressure and temperature,” said Sergei Petrov, General Director, Gazprom Neft Middle East B.V. “But by using exceptional technical solutions in well construction we have been able to make significant reductions in operating costs, as well as bringing the project in on time.”

The company said total cumulative production at the field stood at seven million barrels of oil as at 15.04.2018.

First oil from the Garmian block was obtained in 2011, with commercial crude shipments from the field commencing as early as 2015.

Denis Sugaipov, director of major projects upstream at Gazprom Neft, said: “Thanks to the commissioning of this new well we have been able to confirm our geological prognoses and obtain updated information on strata composition at the Sarqala field. The geology of the KRI is, generally, under-researched, so this new well is of major importance in terms of gaining knowledge and experience of the field.”

The first phase of expanding gathering and treatment capacity to 25,000 bpd is now complete, with work continuing on expanding infrastructure to accommodate 35,000 bpd. Drilling of the Sarqala-3 well is planned for Q3 2018, completing Phase I of field development, Gazprom Neft said.