ADIPEC – the annual Abu Dhabi Petroleum Exhibition and Conference – today launches its agenda-setting ADIPEC Awards – Excellence in Energy 2013.

Shares in Afren have risen more than 5 percent since the publication of its Interim Management Statement on Thursday.

In the statement, the company gave the following update on its operations in Iraqi Kurdistan:

Barda Rash

As part of the phased development of the field, Afren initiated production operations in August 2012 producing its first cargo of sales specification oil to tank. Initial storage capacity limits during the early phases of start-up at the field led the Group to restrict flow-to-tank from the well. To date, approximately 18,800 barrels is held in storage at the field and first sales are expected shortly.

Afren has commenced Phase 2 operations on the field which will involve new wells to increase production capacity, evaluate new field areas and acquire modern log and core data to better understand and delineate the field. The Partners commenced drilling on the BR-5 well in March 2013 using the Romfor-23 drilling rig which is currently drilling ahead at around 6,200 ft. The BR-4 well will be drilled using the Viking I-10 rig and is expected to spud in May 2013. The wells will be drilled to test the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic reservoirs identified in the previous wells drilled on the structure.

Ain Sifni

Testing of the Simrit-2 well is now complete with aggregate flow rates of 19,641 bopd achieved from the planned Drill Stem Test (DST) programme. The well is currently being completed for an Extended Well Test (EWT) in the Jurassic age, Mus/Adaiyah reservoirs. Produced crude is expected to be trucked to local markets.

By John Lee.

PhotoSat has announced the completion of its satellite topography mapping of WesternZagros‘s Garmian Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, using stereo satellite photos from the high-resolution Pleiades 1A and 1B imaging satellites.

Pleiades 1A and 1B are the world’s newest 50cm resolution satellites. The satellite topography mapping consists of an elevation point every meter and contours with 1 meter elevation intervals.

Based on comparisons between the satellite topographic mapping and thousands of ground survey points on similar projects, the accuracy of the satellite topographic mapping is expected to be about 30 centimeters.

The topographic mapping and precision satellite ortho photos will be used for planning and execution of 3D seismic surveys, planning and construction of well sites and well site access roads, field development, and pipeline engineering studies.

PhotoSat president Gerry Mitchell (pictured) commented:

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to apply our cutting-edge satellite topographic mapping technology and the world’s newest high resolution satellites to advance WesternZagros’s Garmian Block in the Kurdistan Region.

“Exploration and development success on the Garmian Block will provide significant economic benefits to WesternZagros shareholders as well as to the people of the Kurdistan Region.“

(Source: PhotoSat)

(Picture: PhotoSat image from Utah, US)