HOUSTON, Feb. 15�Qatar has approved a plan for further development of Al Shaheen Field in Block 5 off Qatar, said Maersk Oil Qatar AS.
The program would increase production to 200,000 b/d of oil in 2004 from 112,000 b/d currently.
This year, Maersk plans to drill 40 production wells and 20 water injection wells, as well as convert 14 existing wells to water injection. It will install production platforms, interconnected with pipelines, facilities for gas compression, and a gas export pipeline to Qatar Petroleum�s North Field Alpha platform, off Qatar.
In addition, a number of appraisal wells will be drilled, said Maersk.
Work will begin immediately. Once the pipelines are installed, some production may be initiated from the drilling rigs before permanent facilities are in place in 2003.
Maersk Oil, state oil company Qatar Petroleum, and the state of Qatar signed an exploration and production sharing agreement in 1992.
