First oil from Oman onshore Block 56 targeted next week

MUSCAT: An extended well test targeting a promising oil discovery in Block 56 in the southeast of the Sultanate of Oman is slated for commissioning next week, marking the start of a months-long effort by operator Tethys Oil to unlock the full hydrocarbon potential of the field.

Commercial development of the Al Jumd discovery, among other prospects in the 5,808 sq km block, will open up a new source of oil flows from Tethys Oil’s upstream assets in Oman. Current production, which averaged about 11,136 barrels per day (bpd) in 2022, comes entirely from its non-operated Blocks 3&4 in which Tethys Oil has a 30 per cent working interest.

“The extended well test of the Al Jumd discovery has a planned duration of three to six months with the objective to establish recoverable resources volumes and optimal production rates,” the Swedish based upstream energy company said in a press statement.

Production rates during the initial test phase are expected to be around 400 bpd barrels, but will double to 800 bpd shortly thereafter, according to Tethys Oil. The output will be trucked some 15 kilometres from the production facility at Al Jumd to Simsim where it will be transferred into the national pipeline system.

An appraisal programme that was launched last year saw three new wells drilled at key locations in the structure. The first of these, Al Jumd-2, yielded positive results with an initial flow rate of around 700 bpd, prompting the drilling of Al Jumd-3 and 4 later in the year.

Elsewhere within the block, Tethys Oil has begun interpreting seismic data from a campaign covering around 2,000 sq km of the central part of the concession. In its sights are more than a dozen leads identified from previous 2D seismic data.

“The objective of interpretation is to identify and mature drillable prospects ahead of exploration drilling planned to start in the fourth quarter 2023,” the company added.In addition to operating Block 56, Tethys Oil also has a 65 per cent working interest in the concession. The balance is shared by Biyaq (25%), Medco (5%) and Intaj (5%).