LONDON (Alliance News) - Roxi Petroleum PLC said Monday that progress was continuing at the shallow and deep wells at its BNG project in Kazakhstan, and said it is working to counter blockages at its two completed deep wells.
Roxi said activity at its shallow wells has been focused on well 143, which is currently producing at a rate of 623 barrels of oil per day through a five millimetre choke. Roxi said it will test a six millimetre choke later this week.
Total production from the shallow wells is running at a rate of 865 barrels of oil per day, which is a net of 510 barrels of oil per day to Roxi, the company said.
Elsewhere at the project, drilling has resumed at deep well A6, following a pause to set casing to a depth of 3,727 metres and the installation of high pressure blowout preventers. Drilling has now reached a depth of 3,835 metres, of the planned 5,000 total depth, and Roxi said it expects to reach a potentially oil bearing zone after a further 300 metres.
Deep well A5 is currently blocked, Roxi said, after having been drilled to a depth of 4,442 metres when, for brief periods, the well flowed oil at the rate of 2,000 barrels of oil per day. However, this became blocked by the accumulation of unrecovered heavy drilling fluids which became set in the oil pipe and Roxi said it is using coil tubing equipment in a bid to clear the well.
Deep well 801, which the company previously said had suffered from blockages caused by excess drilling fluids, has undergone extensive chemical cleaning. Roxi said pressure in the well has grown to 240 bar and it intends to open the well for testing once the pressure reaches 300 bar.
"We remain pleased with the progress at our shallow wells and continue to work to allow the commencement of testing of the two completed deep wells A5 and 801," said Chairman Clive Carver.
"At deep well A6 we look forward to the findings from the drilling of the potentially oil bearing section," Carver added.
Shares in Roxi were down 7.7% at 9.00 pence on Monday.
By Hannah Boland; hannahboland@alliancenews.com; @Hannaheboland
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