Oriental Energy advances on Okwok oil field development

ORIENTAL Energy Resources Limited (OERL) and its JV Partners, Afren Energy Resources (Afren) and Addax Petroleum (Addax) have announced the completion and flow testing of their first development well, in Okwok marginal field in Oil Mining Lease 13 (OML67).

This development, according to the company, followed an extensive field appraisal programme, the acquisition and processing of a four-component OBC seismic and the approval of the Field Development Plan (Okwok FDP) by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) last year.

The field is expected to churn out about 5,000 barrels per day output, while works at advanced stage on the construction of the pipeline that would channel it to the export terminal.

“The Okwok wellhead jacket was installed late 2014 and this permitted the drilling of this first development well. The pipeline to transport Okwok processed crude over the 15km distance to Oriental’s Ebok Terminal has been procured and is currently awaiting installation,” it stated.

Oriental Chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi said: “I am extremely pleased with the results of the testing of the Okwok-13 wellat a rate over 5000 barrels per day of quality Nigerian crude, as it further confirms the commercial viability of the Okwok Field.

“The Company looks forward to bringing Okwok production online within a short time. Produced Okwok crude will be stored for export in the Ebok Terminal Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) Veer Prem operated by the Oriental JV,” he said.

The Okwok-13 development well was drilled in early 2015 to a total measured depth of 9,002feet and was completed as a horizontal producer in the LD-1B Lower reservoir with over 1500ft pay section.

Following the completion, the well was successfully tested to reconfirm commercial deliverability and reservoir connectivity. The company stated that: “

A facility-constrained rate of 5,400bpd, 24.5 deg API was tested on 36/64” choke with GOR of 355scf/bbl and wellhead pressure of 1,248psi.

The test data showed no evidence of depletion and preliminary analysis indicates significant reserves addition is confirmed by this well.

“The well will be suspended in readiness for regular production when the planned Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) and the Okwok crude oil sales export pipeline are installed,” it stated.

Okwok is the second asset that Oriental and its Partners are developing under Farmout from ExxonMobil. The Oriental JV also operates the nearby Ebok Field development where a number of major technological innovations were deployed. The Ebok Field currently produces over 30,000 bopd and is believed to be the largest offshore ESP operation in Africa.