Production begins from third well in Block 50’s Yumna field

Rising output: Processing capacity on the Yumna Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) is being upgraded to handle up to 30,000 bpd

BUSINESS REPORTER -

MUSCAT, FEB 23 -

Masirah Oil Limited, the 100 per cent license holder and operator of Block 50 off Oman’s east coast, has announced that production has commenced from the third development well drilled in the Yumna Field. The well was spudded on January 20, 2021 and production commenced on February 18, 2021. The well has been tested at a rate of 12,984 stock tank barrels per day (stb/d) of oil on natural flow.

“Yumna 3 encountered hydrocarbons in 10.4 metres of Lower Aruma sandstone with a very good porosity of 23.4 per cent, proving that the good quality reservoir sand is extensive to the South East of Yumna 1, with exceptional permeability of about 2,000 millidarcy (md). The reservoir pressure depletion over the first year of production is around 100 psi, confirming that excellent pressure support is provided by a strong aquifer,” said the company in a press statement.

The uptick in drilling activity follows a decision by Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals last July to approve MOL’s Field Development Plan for the Yumna Field. On its heels came MOL’s Declaration of Commerciality, signalling its intent to fully develop the Yumna reservoir, as well as explore for hydrocarbons elsewhere in the Block.

The Shelf Drilling Tenacious jack-up rig has been moved from the Yumna Field to the Zakhera exploration well location which is about 12 km to the south of the Yumna Field, it stated.

At the same time, to cater to the new crude oil volumes flowing from the Yumna reservoir, MOL has begun upgrading the production facilities of its Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) deployed at site.

The processing capacity of the unit is being doubled to handle the additional volumes anticipated from all three Yumna production wells.

Dan Broström, Executive Chairman of Rex International, which holds a majority indirect stake in Masirah Oil, said, “We are very pleased with the Yumna 3 well initial results. The next step is to put all three production wells (Yumna 1, Yumna 2 and Yumna 3) on production simultaneously.

For this reason, the processing capacity on the Yumna Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) is being upgraded to handle up to 30,000 bpd. We expect the upgrade to be completed in March 2021. The operating costs for the field are estimated at $80,000 per day, which with higher production levels, will translate into lower production cost per barrel.”