Page 19 - MEOG Week 50 2020

MEOG NEWS IN BRIEF MEOG

Shaikan field at the top end of its September according to data from State Oil Marketing “promising” new quantities of natural gas in
guidance following progress in operations Organization released Dec. 14. the Risha gas field along its eastern border
that were suspended in March due to the S&P PLATTS with Iraq, the energy minister said on Sunday.
coronavirus outbreak. Hala Zawati said in a statement the flow
“Following on from the successful US convoy carrying stolen of gas from a new well among several drilled
work-over of the SH-12 well, the company this year was “promising” but would become
has progressed the previously announced Syrian oil enters Iraq clearer by year-end after final results appear.
low-cost, high-impact investments to further Risha, once seen as the energy importer’s
increase field production,” Gulf Keystone A convoy of 85 tankers and military vehicles potential gas lifeline, makes up nearly 5% of
said in a statement Dec. 15. “GKP is well including at least 16 trucks belonging to the kingdom’s consumption of natural gas of
positioned to restart its drilling program to US troops has left Syria’s oil-rich Hasakah around 350 million cubic feet (mcf) per day
achieve 55,000 bopd when circumstances province and made its way to Iraq via the al- for power generation, officials say.
permit.” Walid border crossing. “It has shown promising results … the
Current gross production from Shaikan According to Syrian Arab News Agency efforts had resulted in the flow of new gas
is around 42,000 b/d, or 20% above the (SANA), some of the transport trucks were supplies that would raise the productivity of
November average rate, the company added. also carrying unspecified military equipment. the gas field,” Zawati said.
Average gross production for 2020 will be The state news agency offered no further The hunt for gas in the eastern desert area,
“slightly above” 36,000 b/d, the top end of the details on the convoy or its makeup. that British oil major BP abandoned in 2014
guidance that was first disclosed in September. The sources said that 16 American after investing over $240 million, has been
The company expects a further increase in armored vehicles accompanied the convoy to stepped up since last year, boosting quantities
production in the first quarter of 2021, but it the Iraqi border. by at least 70%, Mohammad al Khasawneh,
didn’t say to what level. In August, Bashar al-Jaafari, Syria’s the head of NPC, told Al Mamlaka state-
In March, Gulf Keystone cautioned that ambassador to the UN, openly said Trump is owned television broadcaster.
it may not be able to meet its production stealing Syria’s oil, thus “depriving the Syrian Jordanian officials had long hoped
increase target of 55,000 b/d slated for state and Syrian people of the basic revenues intensive exploration and drilling at Risha
the third quarter of this year and average necessary to improve the humanitarian would lead to the discovery of extensive
production of 43,000-48,000 b/d for 2020 situation, provide for livelihood needs, and recoverable gas reserves, which will help cut
due to the pandemic and near lock-down in reconstruction.” dependence on oil imports to fuel Jordan’s
Kurdistan. In recent months, US forces have moved power sector and industries.
The SH-12 well returned to production on dozens of convoys of stolen Syrian oil to al- Zawati said an ambitious 10-year energy
Nov. 15 and was producing at a stable rate of Hasakah province in Iraq. plan unveiled last year aims to secure nearly
over 5,000 b/d, the company said Nov. 23. Occupying US forces, with the help of half of the country’s electricity generation
Gulf Keystone said the Kurdistan Regional the so-called “Syrian Kurdistan Democratic from local energy sources compared to a
Government has proposed to settle it arrears Forces”, have seized most of the oil fields in the current 15%.
now that oil prices have reached $50/b. Al-Jazeera region, between Al-Hasakah and It was part of the effort to diversify local
“In line with the KRG’s commitment to Deir ez-Zur provinces, and stolen oil outside energy sources by expanding investments
review the outstanding November 2019 to Syria. in renewable and oil shale to reduce costly
February 2020 invoices totalling $73.3 million MEHR NEWS foreign fuel imports, she added.
(net) when oil prices reached $50/barrel, we The country, which now imports over
are pleased to confirm receipt of a proposal to 93% of its total energy supplies, is burdened
repay the arrears,” the company said. GAS by a 2.5 billion-dinars ($3.5 bln) annual bill,
In April, the KRG said it would defer comprising almost 8% of Jordan’s GDP and
payment relating to oil sales from November Jordan finds ‘promising’ straining its economy.
2019 to February 2020 for at least nine REUTERS
months as low oil prices put a huge strain on gas finds near Iraq border
its finances.
Kurdish exports rose to 426,000 b/d in Jordan’s majority state-owned National
November, from 416,000 b/d in October, Petroleum Co. (NPC) has discovered

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