Oil and gas group Matra Petroleum (LON:MTA) has reiterated plans to kick off production from two wells on its Sokolovskoe field in Russia during August. The company is set to carry out improvement work on both well-12 and well-13 in the coming weeks before both wells are completed as producers. In May, Matra revealed disappointing initial findings from well-13, which followed a similar lacklustre results from well-12 in November 2007. However, the company said it was sufficiently confident to press ahead with its production plans despite poor reservoir quality on the basis that the Sokolovskoe field could cover a greater area than previously thought.

A work-over and completions rig has now been mobilised to well-12 to begin investigative work to identify and then isolate the source of water production that has previously hampered progress at the well. Russian exploratory wells are granted an initial 12 month "test production period" under which well-13 will be initially produced. This permission has been extended for well-12. When the work-over rig becomes available from well-12 it will be moved to the well-13 site to complete this well for production. Once well-13 has been perforated the rig will be moved off location and the well will be tested and then acidized to potentially improve productivity.

Elsewhere, Equipoise Solutions, a specialist geo-science consultancy, has been contracted to conduct a detailed independent review of the seismic data and seismic interpretation in order to remap the Sokolovskoe field. As part of the study they are required to review the geological model for the field and to issue an independent assessment of oil-in-place. Once this study is complete, Matra said it would make a revised estimate of the recoverable reserves.

Matra's managing director, Peter Hind said: “Progress towards establishing production from well-13 and re-establishing production from well-12 is on schedule. We expect that by the end of August both wells will be on production subject to the result of the investigative work on well-12. The technical studies we have commissioned on the Sokolovskoe field will be complete in early Q4 2010 and will allow us to determine an optimum field development plan. Our discussions with the Russian authorities are progressing and we do not anticipate further significant delays in the issue of the Production Licence. In the meantime we are grateful for their co-operation in allowing an extended test production…

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