Page 11 - MEOG Week 21 2022

MEOG PROJECTS & COMPANIES MEOG

Jordan prepares to kick off Sirhan drilling

JORDAN JORDANIAN authorities reported this week a breakthrough for Jordan’s upstream, noting
that drilling operations will soon begin in the that the country is reliant on imports for around
Sirhan concession in the east of the country. 98% of energy demand, pegging consumption at
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources 134,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Saleh Al-Kharabsheh said that exploratory drill- The minister also visited the Hamza oilfield,
ing would be carried out by a team comprised where he said that work is ongoing to assess the
of experts from the ministry and the National results of a 3D seismic survey carried out by
Petroleum Co. (NPC), supported by interna- three international firms to provide further data
tional consultants. on the asset’s petroleum system.
Al-Kharabsheh said that the team would drill Al-Kharabsheh noted that the ministry had
to a total depth of 1,400-1,750 metres, but noted been updated on production from two wells at
that the team was still working to select one of Hamza and said that the produced oil was being
several possible drilling locations. transported to the 100,000 bpd Jordan Petro-
NPC began exploration efforts in Sirhan and leum Refinery Co. (JPRC) facility at Zarqa. He
the Jafr concession to the south as part of plans added that a study was ongoing for the identi-
announced in November last year. The explora- fication of three targets for drilling in late 2022
tion efforts were officially launched during a site or early 2023.
visit by Al-Kharabsheh, who said that NPC, in Meanwhile, the minister said that the MEMR
collaboration with the ministry, had analysed 2D was preparing technical information about other
and 3D seismic data for the area. areas which will be provided to international
He highlighted that the retesting would be firms that have expressed interest in taking part
carried out on the Sirhan 8 well, which had hit oil in E&P activities in the country. A year ago,
when drilled by the Natural Resources Author- Al-Kharabsheh’s predecessor, Hala Zawati, said
ity in 1989, with the aim of increasing produc- that the Azraq, Sirhan, Jafr, West Safawi, Dead
tivity. Al-Kharabsheh said that the NPC would Sea, North Highlands, Sirhan Development,
carry out a drilling campaign that is expected to Petra and Rum acreages would all be opened up
be concluded by the end of June. He has previ- for exploration, though none are understood to
ously voiced hopes that the effort could provide have yet been apportioned.™

PDO and Shell agree to

collaborate on Oman CCUS study

OMAN PETROLEUM Development Oman (PDO) and production capacity of around 650,000 barrels
the company’s leading foreign shareholder Shell per day (bpd) and is estimated to hold more than
this week announced the signing of a memoran- 75% of the Sultanate’s remaining oil reserves.
dum of understanding (MoU) to work together Shell also spoke of leveraging CCUS in the
to mitigate carbon emissions. downstream project associated with the develop-
A Shell press release said that with PDO, its ment of the Block 10 concession it was awarded
local subsidiary would “collaborate and jointly alongside state-owned OQ and TotalEnergies
study carbon capture utilisation and storage in December last year. Block 10 lies within the
(CCUS) opportunities in Oman [… to] broadly Greater Barik area in central Oman and was
assess all aspects related to reinjecting and stor- previously part of the giant Block 6 concession
ing CO2”. It added that the partners would “seek and gas from the asset will be piped to facilities
to leverage joint capabilities and economies of at Saih Rawl near the giant gas field of the same
scale to initiate the CCUS industry in Oman, name for processing.
and to facilitate the inception of a low carbon Oman Shell’s vice president and country
hydrogen value chain in Oman”. chairman, Walid Hadi, said: “The intent of this
Shell holds a 34% stake in PDO with the gov- collaboration is to progress CCUS opportu-
ernment of Oman holding 60, TotalEnergies nities in Oman, making the best use of PDO’s
holding 4%, and Thailand’s PTT Exploration and knowledge of the subsurface/surface and its
Production (PTTEP) the remaining 2%. long-standing experience of operating assets in
Highlighting Oman’s aim to achieve net zero Oman, together with Shell’s global knowledge
emissions by 2050, the announcement suggested and experience in Carbon Capture Utilisation
CCUS technologies could support enhanced oil and Storage.” He added: “The initial study may
recovery (EOR) and singled out PDO’s 900,000 well result in further collaboration involving
square km Block 6 concession, which has a total additional projects in the future.”™

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