Repsol group posts more geologic success in Egypt's western desert

A group led by Repsol SA, Madrid, reported more geologic and operational success in Egypt's western desert.

Crude oil production from the Khalda and Khalda Offset concessions reached 36,750 b/d in late July, compared with a first quarter average of 26,707 b/d. The group, which includes Apache Corp. and Novus Petroleum Ltd., Sydney, has drilled 24 development wells this year, all successful.

Gas production, which averaged 3 MMMcfd of gas in the first quarter, will ramp up soon because the group has begun filling the 148 mile, 34 in. northern pipeline to Alexandria. The line, operated by Shell, should be fully on stream by September under a 25 year take-or-pay contract, and yearend sales should reach 200 MMcfd.

A pipeline off the concession's southern end also is being laid and is expected to add 50 MMcfd of production starting Jan. 1, 2000, under the same contract terms.

Geologic promise, however, is at the fore with word the group completed the first commercial oil well from the mid-Cretaceous Kharita C formation in Kahraman C field. Kharita is a quality producing formation in Apache operated Qarun field about 200 miles to the east (OGJ, Nov. 4, 1996, p. 96).

Exploration success

The geology, specifically a four-way closure at the Kharita, indicates that potential may exist in the deeper Lower Cretaceous Alam el Bueib reservoir, Apache said.

Alam el Bueib is a primary producer on the Khalda ridge about 15 miles to the east, said Rod Eichler, vice-president of Apache Egypt.

The Kahraman C-17 well yielded 850 b/d of oil on an electric submersible pump from Kharita sand at 7,583-7,803 ft. C-17 was drilled as a development well in the shallower Upper Cretaceous Bahariya formation, where it encountered an additional 48 ft of net pay.

"The test rate of 850 b/d may be small by western desert standards, but finding commercial quantities in the Kharita this far west is significant," Eichler said.

The group plans to drill six exploratory wells and 16 more development wells by yearend.