Baku, Azerbaijan, April 10
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Canada’s Zenith Energy, which is the operator of Azerbaijan’s Muradkhanli-Jafarli-Zardab block of onshore oil fields, has commenced the final phase of the Z-21 well workover in the Zardab field on April 9, 2018, Trend learned from the company.
Zenith's recently upgraded A-80 workover rig, operated by the company's field personnel and directed by the Company's international workover specialists, is fully-rigged up and all ancillary equipment has been mobilized to the well location, said the company.
“For the first time, all of the equipment in use is owned by the Zenith Energy group. This equipment is new and has recently been delivered to the Company from China, North America and Azerbaijan,” said Zenith.
As announced on February 19, 2018, a coiled tubing intervention, performed in January 2018, had successfully cleaned out the entirety of the tubing string in the well to a depth of 3,670 meters, circulating and drilling out mud and debris that had accumulated since the well was last produced in 1988.
“The company intends to pull the entirety of tubing string from the well and cut the tubing at the relevant depth if any obstruction is encountered. Once this is completed, it will run in hole with a drill bit and clean out the casing to the well's total depth, 3,982 metros. The well will subsequently be put on production. The use of the Company's equipment is expected to significantly decrease the time needed for the workovers, increase efficiency, decrease the cost, and improve operational safety. The Company will provide an update once the workover of Z-21 is completed,” said the company.
Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and Zenith Aran Oil Company signed a Rehabilitation, Exploration, Development and Production Sharing Agreement (REDPSA) in March 2016 for a block that includes the Muradkhanli, Jafarli and Zardab oilfields. These fields cover an area of 642.2 square kilometers. Production under the agreement began in August of 2016.
Zenith holds a 80-percent participating interest in the three fields within the contract area, while SOCAR retains the remaining 20 percent. The duration of the agreement is 25 years, with a potential extension of five additional years.
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