Oman offers 3 hydrocarbon blocks for investment

MUSCAT, MARCH 26

The Sultanate of Oman is offering three oil and gas concession areas, Blocks 15, 36 and 54, for investments by local and international local companies, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals said on Sunday. The offering is open between March 26 and June 25, according to the statement published on Twitter.

Of the three blocks, Block 15 is located within the Sultanate of Oman’s northern oil province some 250 km west of Muscat and 25-km southwest of provincial town of Ibri. It is located along the northeastern edge of petroleum basin. “Tight gas is the predominant play within Block 15,” the ministry said.

Over its history, Block 15 has had several owners and changed configuration. The primary owners over the years was Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) . Other companies which have owned this block are: Hydrocarbon Finders Oman E & P, Tethys Oil (Oman) Limited, Novus Oman Limited, Indago Petroleum and Conquest Exploration Oman Inc.

Four exploration and one appraisal wells were drilled in 1993-2017. The presence of hydrocarbons were identified in the Naih and Shuiba formations. The first well Jebel Aswad-1 was drilled on the Jebel Aswad structure by Conquest Exploration Oman Inc in 1993-1994. The Wadi Sayalah 1 well was the second well drilled by Conquest Exploration Oman Inc. in 1997 Jebel Aswad-2 appraisal well was drilled on the Jebel Aswad structure in 2008 by Tethys Oil. Wells Ataya 1H1&H2 were drilled by Hydrocarbon Finders Oman E & P in 2017.

Meanwhile, Block 36 which covers 18,625 sqkm area, is located along the border with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen and is at the South-Eastern edge of the Eastern Rub al Khali basin, one of the most prolific oil and gas basins in the world. To the south of block, in neighbouring block 38, the Rub al Khali basin is terminated against the Ghudun high that runs from NE to SW and separates the Rub Al Khali from the Southern Oman Salt basin.

Over its history Block 36 has had several owners and it has also changed configuration. PDO was the primary owners of the blocks over the years. Other companies which have owned this block are: DNO, EOG Resources Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company.

The block has been explored with significant amount of 2D seismic about 15,000 km. During 2014, DNO reprocessed over 2,500 km of data with CGG Muscat. Six explored wells have been drilled in the block with the first in 1959 and the last in 2021. The drilled wells have indications of the presence of a working petroleum system.

Block 54 covers a 5,627 sq km area and is located in a lightly drilled area — the Eastern Flank province situated between the easternmost edge of known salt in the South Oman Salt Basin and the Mesozoic and Palaeozoic outcrops found along the Huqf Axis.

The block has been explored with 2D / 3D seismic. Nine exploration wells have been drilled in the block itself in 1982 -2010. The owners over the years were PDO and Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy).

The nearest discovery was made in 1975 by PDO in Block 53, adjacent to this block’s eastern boundary. A giant heavy oil Mukhaizna field operated by Occidental Mukhaizna is producing nearly 120,000 barrels per day.