Rockhopper Exploration starts drilling on Abu Sennan Concession in Egypt

Rockhopper Exploration, alongside partner Kuwait Energy, has started a new drilling programme on the Abu Sennan Concession in Egypt.

As part of a two-well drilling campaign, operator Kuwait Energy has initiated the drilling programme in the Al Jahraa SE-2X exploration well, which is situated on the Abu Sennan-5 (Al Jahraa South East) development.

The well is targeting the Cretaceous Abu Roash-C reservoir in the fault block, which is located immediately to the south of the Al Jahraa South East discovery site.

Rockhopper Exploration has a 22% interest in the concession and expects the well to add more than 20mmbbls of stock-tank oil initially in place (STOIIP) to the development lease.

Rockhopper Sam Moody said: "We are pleased to start this drilling campaign on our Egyptian acreage and hope it will enable us to build further on our local production and resource base. We look forward to updating the market on progress in due course."

The process of drilling and evaluation on the well is expected to continue for 40 days. The well could be completed as an oil producer if successful.

The rig will move to the Al Jahraa-9 location to drill a development well if the current programme is completed.

In addition to the current programme, Kuwait Energy has proposed two work-over operations scheduled to be implemented during the second quarter of this year.

Rockhopper Exploration is an oil and gas company with key interests in the North Falkland Basin and the Greater Mediterranean region.