United Oil & Gas plc today said that a decrease in flow rates from the ASH-4 well and delayed maintenance workovers had reduced production guidance at Abu Sennan, onshore Egypt.
ASH-4 OIL VOLUME
The ASH-4 step-out well previously encountered 20 metres of net pay through the primary Alam El Bueib (AEB) reservoir target and was brought on stream on 17 November.
“Although initial flow rates were in excess of the well-test average, over recent days the rates from the well have sharply declined, suggesting that the well is connected to a smaller volume of oil than had been expected pre-drill,” said United in a statement.
“The choke size has now been reduced to 24/64″ to manage the reservoir and production rates from the well, which are expected to stabilise over the coming days, but these will be at a lower level than had previously been anticipated.”
The company added that ASH-4 lay in the northern, more heavily faulted part of the ASH field and appeared to have intersected reservoir separated from the currently producing wells.
The next development well planned at ASH lies in the southern, better-imaged part of the field, and in a location independent of the latest ASH-4 results.
2022 GUIDANCE
As at 22 November 2022, United set production from the Abu Sennan licence at 1,027 boepd net to the company’s working interest.
The new full year guidance is now 1,300-1,325 boepd net down from 1,450-1,500 boepd net.
The figures exclude any contribution from the workovers still to be completed during late Q4 2022.
If successful, these could deliver up to an additional 175 boepd net to United’s production levels.
In addition to the maintenance workovers, the stimulation of development well AJ-14 and the spudding of the ASW-1X exploration well is also expected before the end of 2022.
2023 DRILLING
Chief executive Brian Larkin added that the ASH-4 development well was still contributing more than 150 barrels to net production today.
“The data gathered has helped the joint venture (JV) partners increase our understanding of the subsurface and the ASH field, which is invaluable in planning future work programmes.
“We are working with our JV partners to finalise our plans for an active drilling programme for 2023 which will include at least one development well on ASH.”
United holds a 22% non-operating interest in the Abu Sennan licence, which is operated by Kuwait Energy Egypt.