DNO takes on third operating licence in Kurdistan region

DNO ASA, Oslo, will drill two large, undrilled structures on the Baeshiqa license in Kurdistan in the first half of 2018, pending Kurdistan government approval.

The 324-squaer kilometre licence is 60 kilometres west of Erbil and 20 kilometres east of Mosul. ExxonMobil previously conducted geological and geophysical studies and constructed a drilling pad before abandoning the site due to security concerns in the region.

The Baeshiqa licence’s two large, undrilled structures are expected to contain multiple stacked Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic reservoirs.

DNO first entered the Kurdistan region in 2004, and operates two other licences, one of which contains the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, producing a combined 110,000 bo/d.

The company’s other licence contains Benenan and Bastora heavy oil fields, which are undergoing further appraisal and development.

DNO is the most active driller in Kurdistan with three rigs currently deployed.

DNO has assumed operatorship of its third licence from ExxonMobil with a 32% net interest, which is one half of ExxonMobil’s position. ExxonMobil retains 32% interest in the licence along with Turkish Energy Company (16%) and the Kurdistan regional government (20%).