Thailand exploration company discovers oil and gas at Algerian prospect

Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Public Company (PTTEP), in association with association with Algerian National Oil and Gas Company Sonatrach and China National Offshore Corporation, has discovered crude oil and gas flows at an exploration well in the Hassi Bir Rekaiz perimeter (HBR) in Algeria.

Drill stem tests conducted at the Rhourde Terfaia-1 (RTF-1) well, the first to be drilled on the HBR perimeter, found crude oil flow at about 1,000 barrels per day and natural gas at 0.3 million standard cubic feet per day.

The Hassi Bir Rekaiz block covers an onshore area of 537,797 hectares in the Eastern part of Algeria.

PTTEP, as the operator holds a 24.5% interest in the well, while Sonatrach holds a 51% interest and CNOOC has a 24.5% stake.

RTF-1 was drilled to a total depth of 4,129m and encountered petroleum bearing formation in Triassic Argilo-Gréseux Inférieur (TAGI) reservoir.

PTTEP intends to drill more exploration and appraisal wells in the region to confirm the extent of the petroleum reserves in the area.