Oil explorer Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LON:GKP) says further testing on its Shaikan-1 discovery well in Kurdistan have produced a a tenfold increase in rates. Gulf Keystone said final, stable, production rates during the re-test of the Mus section of the Jurassic zone used a much improved set up versus the original 2009 test. The rates were measured at 1,250 bopd with an API gravity of 19.7 degrees and a gas oil ratio (GOR) of 10 standard cubic feet per barrel of oil at a flowing wellhead pressure of 50 psi.
This natural flow rate represents a tenfold increase over the 128 bopd measured during the initial test in 2009. Tests using a low capacity electric submersible pump (ESP), resulted in rates up to 2,250 bopd. The workover rig will now begin operations to complete the Shaikan-1 well in the Sargelu (1,450m to 1,510m) section of the Jurassic, and the well will be configured for long term production testing.
Chief operating officer John Gerstenlauer said:
"This retest of the Mus formation demonstrates that even this very low GOR zone is capable of substantial natural flow production rates when properly configured. In addition, it gives us further encouragement for future development, having demonstrated significantly increased production values even with a low capacity ESP."
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