Gazprom Neft subsidiary Gazprom Neft Middle East B.V. has produced its two-millionth tonne of oil since starting commercial production at its Sarqala field in the Kurdsitan Region of Iraq.
First oil was obtained at the Garmian block, which includes the Sarqala field, in 2011. Commercial oil shipments commenced in 2015, with the commissioning of the Sarqala-1 well. The second production well was launched in 2018. A third well, with the production capacity of 12,000 barrels per day (bpd), has now gone into operation at the field — the launch of which has seen total daily production volumes increase by 25 percent, reaching 35,000 barrels. Total cumulative production at the field now stands at two million tonnes, or more than 15 million barrels of oil since the start of commercial production four years ago.
Field infrastructure has seen considerable expansion throughout this asset’s development, with a new high- and low-pressure separation processing line constructed here, together with two 17,000-barrel-capacity reservoirs (tanks), and the reconstruction of the oil-tanker loading systems — this modernization providing transportation and storage capacity for significantly higher oil production. A reservoir-water utilization unit will be built at the Sarqala field this year, with throughput capacity of 5,000 barrels per day.
Gazprom Neft Middle East B.V. CEO Sergei Petrov commented: “The production of the two-millionth tonne of oil at Sarqala marks a significant point in developing this important and promising asset. We’ve made great strides in our four years’ working at the Garmian block, commissioning three wells and putting in place cutting-edge and highly developed infrastructure.
In moving into a new phase in developing this field we already have detailed information on the geological characteristics of the region. This means we will, very shortly, be able to determine the direction of the further development of this asset in the Middle East.”
