Swedish oil and gas company Maha Energy has commenced production test on Block 70, located in the oil-producing Ghaba Salt Basin in the central part of the Sultanate of Oman.
Maha to test Block 70 onshore Oman. (Credit: Delfino Barboza on Unsplash)
The production test, which starts with the Mafraq-9 well, will include all eight new production wells under this year’s drilling programme.
Maha Energy said that a new well will be added to the test every two weeks until all new wells are connected to the testing system.
Each well will be completed with PCP (progressing cavity pumping) pumps before being placed on the test.
The company intends to transport the oil produced in heated trucks to a third party’s facilities for further processing and, further transport the oil through Oman’s national pipeline system.
Maha expects said that preliminary information about the quality of the oil and initial production potential will be announced by May 2023.
Block 70 is an onshore block that includes the shallow undeveloped Mafraq heavy oil field. Maha owns a 65% stake and is also the operator of the block.
The block covers an area of 639km² and is backed by both 2D and 3D seismic data that has been acquired by previous operators, and is accessible to Maha.
A total of eight wells have been drilled within the boundaries of the block, among which five are located on the Mafraq oil field.
The Mafraq oil field was discovered by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) in 1988 and was further delineated by four wells and 3D seismic in stages until 2010.
In August last year, Maha signed an agreement with Mafraq Energy to reduce its interest in the exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) for Block 70.
Under the terms of the agreement, Maha will own a 65% stake in Block 70 and will continue to serve as its operator.
Mafraq Energy will reimburse Maha for its prorated share of all past costs including the signature bonus and has also agreed to pay its share of all future expenditures on Block 70.
