Baku, Azerbaijan, July 18
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The commencement of well deepening operations in well C-37 at Azerbaijan’s Jafarli field is scheduled to begin on July 26, 2019, Trend reports citing Canada’s Zenith Energy company, which is the operator for development of Muradkhanli-Jafarli-Zardab block of oil fields onshore Azerbaijan.
The company said its drilling activities have two objectives.
“The first objective will be to deepen well C-37's total depth of 3,987 metres by approximately 30-40 metres and drill all the clastic layers of the Middle Eocene formation. The Company's geological and reservoir investigations have indicated that the Middle Eocene formation in well C-37 may hold significant oil reserves. This view has been supported by the fact that an adjacent well, C-22, achieved a sustained rate of production of approximately 700 barrels per day from the interval between 3,902-4,014 metres,” reads a message from Zenith Energy.
The second objective will be to penetrate the previously untested and recently identified Upper Cretaceous (Mesozoic) formation structure by deepening well C-37 by an additional 250-300 metres, according to the company.
“Upon completion of deepening activities, a series of wireline acquisitions and production tests will be performed first in the Upper Cretaceous carbonates and later in the Eocene clastic sequences,” said Zenith Energy.
The company's geological and reservoir teams believe that the testing of the unexplored Cretaceous play has the potential to provide valuable information regarding new prospective exploration activity to be performed across its Azerbaijan asset.
Well deepening activities are expected to be completed during approximately 30 days, said the Canadian 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 oil fields. Zenith Energy Ltd established its subsidiary company Zenith Aran Oil Company Ltd for production operations in these three fields. Production under the agreement began in August 2016.
Zenith holds an 80-percent participating interest in the three fields within the contract area, while SOCAR retains the remaining 20 percent. The agreement is for 25 years, with a potential extension by five additional years.
The total area of the Muradkhanli, Jafarli and Zardab fields is 642.2 square kilometers, and according to the contract, it is divided into rehabilitation and exploration territories.
The Muradkhanli-Jafarli-Zardab block is located in the Yevlakh-Agjabadi oil and gas region of Imishli district of Azerbaijan. The Muradkhanli field was discovered in 1971, Jafarli - in 1984, and Zardab - in 1981.
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