Turkish drillship wraps up all planned well tests on Black Sea gas field

Turkish oil and gas operator TPAO has completed all planned flow tests in the Sakarya gas field located in the Black Sea, obtaining important information regarding the potential of the field.

It is worth noting that Turkey has recently changed its name to Türkiye.

The first flow test on the Türkali-1 appraisal well was completed in January 2022 and the first reservoir section flowed gas at a rate of 1.15 MMSCMD (40.4 MMSCFD) with results proving excellent well deliverability and reservoir connectivity.

TPAO has now performed the second flow test of Türkali-1 appraisal well in the Sakarya gas field and the second reservoir section flowed gas at a rate of 0.62 MMSCMD (21.9 MMSCFD). Results from this test also proved excellent well deliverability and reservoir connectivity, according to TPAO.

Melih Han Bilgin, TPAO’s Chairman and CEO, indicated that: “All planned well tests are completed successfully. The results provided important information for us regarding the potential of the field.”

The planned flow tests were carried out at two appraisal wells and five different reservoirs. To remind, the first flow test of the Türkali-2 appraisal well was completed in late July 2021. Data and samples acquired from the flow tests are being evaluated to further optimise the field development work and to refine the front-end engineering and design (FEED). First gas is expected to reach the Filyos gas processing terminal in 2023.

Türkali-1, an ultra-deep offshore appraisal well, has been drilled to a total depth of 3,920 meters in 2,143 meters water depth. It was the first appraisal well drilled in the Sakarya gas field with Fatih drillship.

Well flow tests in the field are being conducted by TPAO’s drillship Kanuni, which joined the fleet in 2020. The flow test provides data on the flow rate and the pressure of the natural gas to be extracted from the discovered reservoirs, based upon which the economic production potential is calculated.

So far, TPAO has discovered a total of 540 bcm gas in the Western Black Sea ultra-deep offshore. Sakarya gas field development project comprises a subsea gas production system, a receiving and processing terminal on the Filyos shore, and pipelines to connect them.

TPAO has already assembled a team of contractors for the project, including a consortium of Subsea 7 and Schlumberger, Italy’s Saipem, and the UK’s Wood.