Gazprom Neft brings third well online at Iraq’s Badra field

Gazprom Neft brings third well online at Iraq’s Badra field

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Gazprom Neft has brought a third well into production at Iraq’s Badra oil field. The commissioning of this third well ensures the sustainable production of at least 15,000 bopd. Drilling of a further three wells at Badra field is continuing, under a contract previously concluded with China’s ZPEC.

Initial results from the prior drilling of three wells at Badra field have revealed this deposit to have one of the most complex geological structures in Iraq: a situation compounded by the absence of comprehensive and historical field data, with such data as was available being limited to an insignificant amount, obtained in the 1970s from the drilling of a single exploration well.

All necessary infrastructure at Badra field, allowing the production and transportation of crude oil, was constructed within a period of three years, with first oil achieved in December 2013, and full-scale field infrastructure testing commencing in May 2014. The field has been in commercial production since August 2014.

November saw investors in the producing consortium meet a key condition under the terms of the development contract with the government of Iraq, in supporting production at a volume of 15,000 bopd for a period of 90 days.

Gazprom Neft, together with the other project participants, can expect to start receiving their share of Badra oil production as early as the first quarter of 2015.