West Qurna-2 second-phase drilling starts

Lukoil has started drilling production wells in the second phase of development of West Qurna-2 oil field in southern Iraq.

It has signed contracts for the drilling of 54 wells targeting the Late Cretaceous Mishrif formation and three wells targeting the Early Cretaceous Yamama.

The work will increase West Qurna-2 production from 400,000 b/d at present to 480,000 b/d in 2020. Lukoil says it is using a cluster drilling approach new to Iraq.

Under a revised development plan Lukoil signed with state-owned Basra Oil Company last year, West Qurna-2 output is to reach a plateau of 800,000 b/d in 2025.

Plateau production under the original service contract was to have been 1.2 million b/d.

Source: Oil & Gas Journal