Aug.
2001 Vol. 222 No. 8 International Outlook
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AFRICA
Cyril Widdershoven, Consultant, Sittard,
Netherlands (Libya, Tunisia, Uganda, Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal sections);
Geoff H.H. King, Managing Editor, energyeuroafrica.com (Libya, Tunisia and Uganda sections); Mark
Pabst, Senior Editor, Oil and Gas North Africa magazine, Cairo (Algeria, Sudan and Chad sections);
David Fuller, Senior Researcher, Oil and Gas North Africa magazine, Cairo (Egypt, Morocco,
Mauritania and Senegal sections); and World Oil Staff
Tunisia
Upstream work in Tunisia has been assisted by the
hydrocarbon law that took effect in August 2000. Despite being a modest producer, Tunisias tax and legal
regime has made the country an investment option in North Africa.
Exploration. Pioneer Natural Resources agreed
to farm-in to three tracts (Bazma, Jorf and El Hamra) operated by Eurogas, covering 2.7 million acres in the
Tagi sand play of the Ghadames basin, onshore. Pioneer will earn a 50% interest by drilling two wells over the
next two years; the first, Douz 1, was spudded in late May.
Anadarko acquired a third onshore block, Sanrhar, and
scheduled seismic studies this year. An exploration well may be drilled there in second-half 2001. The firm
also scheduled a second well on its Anaguid block. Just south of Anaguid, Anadarko drilled a dry hole on the
Jenein Nord block. Nuevo Energy entered a joint venture agreement for the 171,000-acre, Alyane offshore
permit.
In 2000, Preussag Energie shot 2-D and 3-D seismic on
its Maatouq, Kerkouane and Cap Bon Marine concessions. Australias Bligh and Canadas Antrim Energy
also re-entered the Chott Fejaj 3.
Drilling / development. The National
Observatory of Energy said that drilling rose 25% in 2000. Two exploratory wells were drilled offshore
an oil completion and a dry hole. The outlook this year calls for an 87% increase, to 28 wells, including 12
offshore.
Phase I of the Isis field development 110 mi offshore
Sfax remains on-track. Operator Coparex Netherlands awarded a subsea installation contract for hooking up
three existing producing wells and one water injector. It also awarded a contract for a converted FPSO. First
oil was due by July 2001.
In August 2000, Centurion Energy received permission to
develop Al Manzah field on the Grambalia onshore permit. The firms Ecumed Petroleum subsidiary put the
Al Manzah 1 discovery back on production and drilled the Al Manzah 2 horizontal development well (1,162-m TD).
It tested up to 9,000 bopd with no water production and was put online at 4,000 bopd. Ecumed then spudded the
Al Mazah 3 horizontal development well.
Oil output was down 6.5% last year after a slight gain
in 1999. Natural gas production from 15 wells averaged 212 MMcfd.
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