Apache's WKAL-C-1X Discovery Tests 4,746 Barrels of Oil Per Day on the West Kalabsha Concession in Egypt's Western Desert
HOUSTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apache Corporation
(NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) reported today that the WKAL-C-1X discovery on the West
Kalabsha concession established the westernmost production in Egypt's Western
Desert. The well flowed 4,746 barrels of oil and 4.4 million cubic feet of gas
per day in a test of the Jurassic Safa formation.
The WKAL-C-1X is located in the Faghur Basin, eight miles northwest of
Apache's 2006 Faghur-1 ST1 discovery and 50 miles east of the Libyan border.
The well was drilled to a total depth of 14,600 feet and logged 46 feet of
Safa oil pay as well as 36 feet of pay in the Alem El Bueib (AEB) 3C
formation. Wireline pressure data suggests the water level may be at least 190
feet below the base of the oil sand.
"The WKAL-C-1X discovery represents the westernmost oil ever discovered in
Egypt and confirms our exploration model for this area of the Faghur Basin,
coming on the heels of the successful completion of the Heqet-2 well, which
tested approximately 3,000 barrels per day," said G. Steven Farris, Apache's
president and chief executive officer.
Oil produced in the Faghur-1 ST1 and nearby Heqet, Kalabsha and Neith
Fields is found in Jurassic-aged sands below 14,000 feet that were sourced
from Jurassic-aged shales and coals buried within the Faghur Basin.
Temperatures in the Faghur Basin are much cooler than the Shushan Basin, the
location of the Jurassic Qasr field, Apache's largest field; thus, a large
portion of the Faghur Basin is oil-bearing, as opposed to the
hotter-temperature, gas-bearing Shushan Basin.
The WKAL-C-1X Safa oil accumulation is estimated to be about 580 acres.
The prospective area of the Jurassic oil play fairway associated with the
Faghur Basin is estimated to comprise approximately 830 square miles, mostly
within Apache-operated concessions.
Apache operates the West Kalabsha concession and has a 100-percent
contractor interest.
Apache Corporation is a large independent oil and gas exploration and
production company with operations in the United States, Canada, the United
Kingdom North Sea, Egypt, Australia and Argentina.
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 including, without limitation, expectations, beliefs, plans
and objectives regarding production and exploration activities. Any matters
that are not historical facts are forward-looking and, accordingly, involve
estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including, without
limitation, risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our 2007 Form
10-K and on our Web site. There is no assurance that Apache's expectations
will be realized, and actual results may differ materially from those
expressed in the forward-looking statements. We assume no duty to update these
statements as of any future date.
