PDO marks unique achievement, drills 1,500th well

Muscat: The Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) celebrated the drilling of the 1,500th well in the Nimr oil field, located in the south of the company's concession area, in a unique achievement, the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman.

This well is located within the field group in Nimr, which covers a total area of 1,875 km. It is the largest field group in the company and includes the largest number of wells distributed over 23 fields. The Nimr field group also contributes more than 12 percent of the company's production (about 90,000 barrels per day), and has one of the largest investment portfolios for the growth of hydrocarbons.

PDO Managing Director Steve Phimister said: “This achievement in the Nimr field cluster is an affirmation of the company’s continued commitment to achieving sustainable growth and maximum value for the national economy. Pointing out that the company is setting new reference standards in the energy sector, and is working to develop its core business in the field of oil and gas in a safe and competitive manner in terms of cost and carbon emissions."

The road to well 1500 dates back to 43 years ago, when the first exploratory well was drilled in Nimr, and then production began a few years later after operating the necessary facilities. The first well is still producing oil to this day.

Engineer Junaid Mohiuddin Ghulam, Director of Oil in the South Concession Area at PDO, said: "Well 1500 in Nimr embodies the continuity, determination, sustainability and good reputation enjoyed by the company and its employees. It is not easy to produce oil from the complex aquifers in Nimr that involve Heavy oil associated with large groundwater reservoirs, throughout the past decades and for decades to come."

He added that the field group in Nimr has become like a "factory" to complete wells at a rate of more than 130 new wells annually. Well 1500 entered operation within only 15 hours of moving the rig, which is evidence of the great capabilities of this group in the field of oil production, which is achieved thanks to the effective management of operational processes and close cooperation between the various teams in the company.

Well No. 1,000 in Nimr was drilled in 2013 within 23 days and in a difficult formation containing sandy rocks, as the well is 2,100 meters deep and is still producing oil until now.