DNO International has oil discovery in Yemen’s Masila basin

A group led by DNO International ASA, Oslo, has tested 36° gravity oil at a rate of 5,900 b/d at the Salsala-1`discovery well on Block 32 in the Masila basin of east-central Yemen.

The company attained the 5,900 b/d initial rate before choking flow to 3,400 b/d due to limited tank space. The flow came from a 32-m perforated interval in the Jurassic Shuqra formation. Total depth of the directional well is 4,147 m. Cost to drill, complete, and test the well was $10 million.

Block 32 contains two fields, Godah and Tasour, that are averaging 2,500 b/d of oil.

DNO International will place the well on extended production test and plans to spud an appraisal well in early 2014 as part of a fast-track development.

Block 32 interests are DNO International 38.95%, Ansan Wikfs 42.93%, TransGlobe Energy Corp. 13.12%, and Yemen Oil & Gas Corp. 5%.

DNO International noted that it holds interests in five other blocks in Yemen, two of which are in production, one under development, and two in the exploration phase. Year-to-date, the company’s working interest production in Yemen has averaged slightly above 4,000 b/d.