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Kurdistan Drilling Update
Kurdistan Drilling Update.
About this update from Gulf Keystone Petroleum Limited
[{"type":"text","content":"\n RNS Number : 3846U Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ld 24 June 2009 \n \nNot for release, publication or distribution in or into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction\n\n\n \n24 June 2009\nGulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd.\n(\"Gulf Keystone\" or \"the Company\")\nKURDISTAN DRILLING UPDATE\n\nShaikan-1 Exploration Well\n\n\nGulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd (AIM: GKP), an independent oil and gas exploration company with interests in Algeria and Kurdistan, today announces the following progress update on the Shaikan-1 exploration well, Shaikan block, the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq.\n\nThe Shaikan-1 well was spudded on 27 April with a planned TD, pending actual drilling results, of 3000 to 3500 metres. The range of TD depths reflects the under explored nature of the area and the lack of nearby correlation wells.\n\nFollowing the setting of 20\" surface casing at about 100 metres, the well plan called for the drilling of an 8-1/2\" pilot hole down to the 13-3/8\" intermediate casing point. This decision was based on a number of operational considerations. Primarily, the fractured nature of many of the shallow geological formations and the resulting high likelihood that mud returns would be lost and thus much of the interval would have to be drilled without the information normally gained from drilling mud returns. Under these conditions it is more prudent to drill a smaller, easier to control pilot hole as a first step.\n\nMuch of this section was, indeed, drilled with little or no drilling mud returns. In addition, consistent with the active oil seeps in the area, much of the pore space in these shallow sections was filled with tar and very heavy, dead oil. At depths below 1350 metres the well began to encounter lighter, live oil shows.\n\nSubsequently, it was decided to log the entire open hole from 100m down to 1510 metres. However, swelling shales prevented the logging tools from getting below 1000 metres. Reverting to the planned well program, it was decided to open the pilot hole to the full 17-1/2\...