Aban West Paydar Field Development Project

Aban and West Paydar fields development and production operation project started by the Joint Venture between Dana Energy and ZN Vostok after the IPC contract signed in March 2018 between NIOC and these two parties. Dana Energy’s share is 20% (participating interest) in this contract. Both fields are located at the Iranian-Iraqi border and are jointly owned by Iran and Iraq.

Aban oil field is located 38 kilometers southwest of Dehloran and was discovered in 2009. The National Iranian Oil Company has developed Asmari formation since 2010, active drilling commenced in 2013. Total number of wells increased from 4 wells in 2013 to 12 at the beginning of 2017 with daily peak production over 10,000 STBD. The production formation is Asmari with STOIIP of more than 100 MMBO. Till now more than 20 MMSTB of oil has been produced (around 5 MMSTB of which after IPC signed) and the actual recovery factor is around 10~15%.

The West Paydar oil field was discovered by the exploration well PYW-1 in 1978. The oil field is located at the border between Iran and Iraq, about 150 km north-west of Ahwaz, and 35 km south-west of the Cheshmeh-Khosh Processing Unit. Currently oil is produced from 2 reservoirs: Asmari and Sarvak. The Sarvak formation is being developing since 1996, by putting the well PYW-1 into production. The Asmari formation is being developing since 2003, by putting the well PYW-4 into production. The majority of oil production comes from 2 high permeable sandstone layers of the Asmari formation. Daily peak production for a single well reached to more than 10000 BOPD. Total number of drilled wells is 34.

Both Asmari and Sarvak STOIIP is in a range of 300—400 MMBO. Till now around 200 MMSTB of oil is produced (more than 40 MMSTB of which after IPC signed) and the actual recovery factor is approximately 45% (Asmari) and around 10% for Sarvak.

AWP development plan contains different sub-projects in the surface and subsurface segments including demining, crude custody transfer metering unit (CCTMU) and pump station, AGMU, free water knock out unit, Aban manifold modernization, CPF expansion, historical pollution cleaning, facilities repairing and reconstruction, diesel power generator, subsurface FEED, ESPs first run and change, water disposal wells, 7 Sidetracks, 8 New Wells, etc.

The achievement of the First Target Production (FTP) was in July 2020 and up to now, more than 40 completed and ongoing workover jobs have been performed in the AWP project including 22 ESP first run in hole operation, 15 ESP change operation, and three wells converted into disposal wells. Also, more than 16 other workover jobs are going to be performed by end of 2023. Simultaneously eight rigs are under contract in the AWP project.

During 2023, oil production rate is in the range of 20,000—30,000 BPD and there is more than 20,000 BDP incremental compared to the Baseline Oil Rate (the rate which is intended to be produced from the field in case no development activity has been performed). The production target is to increase the oil production rate to around 40,000 BPD up to end of the year.

At the moment almost, total production is obtained by ESP pumps. Average ESPs run life in this project is more than two years and for the first time in Iran, it is planned to use a rent contract for ESP pumps usage in this contract.