Zenith Energy to begin well-deepening operations in Azerbaijan

Oil and gas production company Zenith Energy has announced the start date of well-deepening operations in well C-37 at its onshore oilfield in Azerbaijan.

Operations are scheduled to begin on 26 July.

As part of the well-deepening programme, the company’s drilling activities include two objectives.

The first is to deepen C-37’s total depth of 3,987m by around 30m-40m. It also includes drilling all the clastic layers of the Middle Eocene formation.

According to Zenith’s geological and reservoir investigations, the C-37 Middle Eocene formation may hold significant oil reserves.

The indication was based on the production capacity achieved from the adjacent well C-22, which produced more than 700bpd from an interval range between 3,902m and 4,014m.

The second objective of the operation is to penetrate the previously untested and recently identified Upper Cretaceous (Mesozoic) formation structure. This will be achieved by further deepening well C-37 to 250m-300m.

According to the company, the testing of the unexplored Cretaceous play could provide data regarding new exploration activity to be performed across its Azerbaijan asset.

Well-deepening activities are expected to be completed in one month.

The company’s BD-260 drilling rig has undergone upgrades to its mud system to increase its capacity to help meet the requirements of future drilling activities.

Zenith subsidiary Zena Drilling has also procured nearly $250,000 worth of spare parts to eliminate the risk of delays.

Zenith Energy CEO Andrea Cattaneo said: “The activation of the BD-260 drilling has taken longer than expected, however, this should be viewed in the context of the fact that this is the rig’s first operational deployment in Azerbaijan, and that the extensive work done at this initial phase will be extremely beneficial during the long-term operational deployment of the rig across our Azerbaijan asset.”

Furthermore, the company confirmed that the start of civil works in well C-30 will occur during the first week of next month.