Apache presses Egypt Faghur basin discoveries, 3D

Approval of seven new development leases in the Faghur basin has enabled Apache Corp. to add 5,200 b/d of production in Egypt's Western Desert.

Apache has 203,000 b/d of oil and 880 MMcfd of gross operated production in Egypt, up 3% from 2011. Under terms of production sharing agreements, the company’s net is about half of the gross production.

Tom Voytovich, Egypt Region vice-president, said, “Apache is pushing Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Paleozoic plays farther south and westward … This significant expansion in development acreage in the Faghur basin is the result of Apache’s strong regional knowledge that enables our geoscientists to identify multipay targets as they develop new play concepts. This work has led to the discovery of five new Faghur fields over the last 6 months."

Neilos-2, Apache’s latest Faghur basin well, test-flowed 6,301 b/d of oil and 4.2 MMcfd of gas. It logged 33 ft of net pay in the Jurassic Safa reservoir. The well is a half-mile north of the Neilos-1X discovery well and was drilled to appraise the north flank of Neilos field.

Among the recent discoveries in the basin were West Kalabsha South-1X, 2 miles northwest of the Siwa-D-1X, discovery, which tested at 2,244 b/d and 4.3 MMcfd from the Cretaceous Alam el Bueib and Safa reservoirs and confirmed a significant extension of the Siwa-D discovery into the West Kalabsha concession, and the WKAL-N-1X, 3 miles southwest of the Tayim West-1X discovery well, which cut 26 ft of net pay in the AEB-6 and 38 ft of net pay in the Safa and test-flowed 4,978 b/d and 4.7 MMcfd.

Apache has drilled eight development wells in the basin this year, including the West Kalabsha A-6, a westward extension of the West Kalabsha-A structure that tested 2,750 b/d from a series of stacked AEB reservoirs. Apache is drilling three wells in the basin and plans 14 more during 2012.

In focus areas northeast of the Faghur basin, Apache has drilled seven wells, including four discoveries. Six wells are drilling, and 13 more are planned in 2012.

Apache continues to shoot and interpret 3D seismic surveys to enhance its drilling inventory across nearly 10 million acres in the Western Desert. In the Faghur basin, Apache recently completed two surveys, including one of 400 sq miles to identify additional exploration opportunities to the west in the basin, across the Sallum concession, and a 656 sq mile survey covering the eastern part of the basin underlying the Khalda Offset, South Umbarka, and Shushan concessions.

New 3D seismic surveys are being shot in other Apache concessions in the Western Desert to replace and improve upon existing data. Surveys at the 636 sq mile West Kanayes and 660 sq mile West Ghazalat concessions will enable Apache’s technical teams to high-grade prospects in relatively underexplored areas.