Petroneft issues update on well pressure testing

Petroneft has announced that pressure testing on two of its wells at Arbuzovskoye has indicated reservoir pressures are in line with expectations based on production to date.

This is confirmation that the rapid decline in production experienced at one well in January and February was not due to problems with reservoir pressure, it said today.

Rather, it was the result of a near-wellbore problem resulting from the “likely migration of fine grained materials that had plugged the perforations”.

In an update this morning, the company said an underbalanced re-perforation of the Arbuzovskoye 102 had successfully removed flow restrictions and restored production to 380 barrels per day (BOPD).

Consequently, other Arbuzovskoye wells are now being examined with a view to re-perforating additional wells in the near term.

A water source has been drilled to supply injection water for the planned pressure maintenance programme at the site with locations and timing of further wells due to be selected based on the response.

Petroneft has reported that total oil production, comprising both the Lineynoye and Arbuzovskoye fields, has increased to 2,800 BOPD after successful completion of the 105 well and the re-perforation of 102 wells at Arbuzovskoye.

Commenting today, chief executive Dennis Francis said: “We will now implement the planned pressure maintenance programme on the field which will slow production decline and improve recoveries. A similar programme was implemented at Lineynoye field where we had positive results.”