Dragon ramps up artificial lift offshore Turkmenistan

July 14, 2015
Dragon Oil aims to procure additional water injection facilities later this year for installation on the Dzheitune (Lam) field in the Cheleken Contract Area in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

Offshore staff

DUBAI, UAEDragon Oil aims to procure additional water injection facilities later this year for installation on the Dzheitune (Lam) field in the Cheleken Contract Area (CCA) in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

The company is applying water injection progressively to arrest reservoir pressure decline, sustain production rates, and increase reserves recovery.

To date it has also installed four jet pumping systems, including one on the Dzheitune (Lam) 22 platform, and expects to install and commission further jet pumping systems later this year on other platforms. Again, the aim of this artificial lift application is to increase production and enhance recovery.

In parallel, Dragon Oil is procuring electric submersible pumps (ESP) to start a pilot application later in the year.

Construction continues of the new wellhead and production platform Dzheitune (Lam) E and associated pipelines under a contract awarded in February 2014. The platform, due to be completed during the first half of 2016, will have eight slots, with provision for another four slots to be installed later, and can accommodate a jackup drilling rig.

The newly installed Dzheitune (Lam) F production platform is ready for drilling.

Tenders are out for contracts to extend the Dzheitune (Lam) A and B platforms with a view to adding slots for future drilling.

Additionally, the company is re-tendering a previously deferred project to build another 30-in. trunkline from the Lam field to transport oil and water and particularly more gas onshore, which would otherwise have had to be flared.

The gas will feed a planned 360 MMcf/d gas treatment plant, to be constructed over three years, and produce around 4,000 b/d of condensate (at present, there is no export market in the area for gas).

Dragon Oil is increasing the loading capacity at the Aladja Jetty by installing another 16-in. pipeline and associated loading arms to support export of higher volumes later this year.

This year, the company expects to drill and complete 15-18 wells on the CCA fields, and will continue to add perforations in existing wells to grow production. It is targeting an exit rate for the year of 100,000 b/d, and to sustain output at this level for a minimum of five years from 2016.

In the Tunisian sector of the Mediterranean Sea, the company and partners Cooper Energy and Jacka Resources are seeking to extend their permit to Aug. 6, 2016. They plan to use the extension to abandon theHammamet-West 3 appraisal well in a rigless operation and to acquire 500 sq km (193 sq mi) of 3D seismic to assess further potential in the license.

07/14/2015