New Delhi, Aug 24: A significant oil discovery has been made in the exploration block 9 in Yemen, where Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) holds 20 per cent stake. The Al-Roidhat-1 exploration well, the third of the four well exploration program, was drilled to a depth of 1,159 metres and encountered three separate oil-bearing layers, industry sources said.
The first layer contained 11 metres of net oil column, second layer contained 20 metres of net oil column and the third layer contained 6 metres of net oil column.
Similar formations in the nearby Sayun-Masila basin produce oil at rates of between 5,000-15,000 barrels per day. Seismic data suggests the Al-Roidhat field covers some eight square kilometres, they said.
Oilfield services giant Schlumberger has been contracted to carry out testing of the discovery over the next 30 days.
Canada's Calvalley Petroleum Inc is the operator of the block with 60 per cent stake while Hoodoil Ltd has the remaining 20 per cent.
Sources said Al Roidhat-1 is the first of a two-well drilling program intended to test Qishn sand structures that were delineated by Calvalley's 2001 seismic program. The drilling rig is now moving to the second location to address an independent structure located 8 kilometres northeast of the Al Roidhat-1 well. The spud date for the next well is scheduled for August 25, 2003.
To date, four separate oil bearing reservoirs have been discovered on block 9.
Bureau Report