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ExxonMobil suspends offshore drilling near Karachi coast
By Salman Siddiqui
Published: March 9, 2019
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Work stops as the company’s equipment needs repair. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: US oil and gas exploration firm ExxonMobil has temporarily suspended offshore drilling in ultra-deep waters near Karachi coast, it has been learnt.
Pakistan, with the help of ExxonMobil and Eni Pakistan Limited, had begun offshore drilling after a gap of nine years in January to find huge oil and gas deposits at an estimated cost of over $100 million.
They temporarily halted drilling as their equipment needed repair, Ministry of Maritime Affairs Adviser Mahmood Moulvi told Express TV. “The parts in question will be changed in the next two to three days and subsequently drilling will resume,” he said.
After nine years, offshore drilling begins in Karachi ultra-deep waters
The fault has delayed completion of drilling operations by at least one week. “The company was scheduled to submit a drilling result report on March 7. Now, it will submit the report after March 15,” he said.
The two companies began drilling Kekra-1 well in the Indus-G block on January 11, 2019, which is located 280 km from the Karachi coast.
“Eni Pakistan has estimated nine trillion cubic feet of gas deposits in the offshore well,” an official of the Ministry of Petroleum told The Express Tribune recently, adding that ExxonMobil expected the discovery of oil deposits there.
They undertook the task to drill around 5,800-metre-deep well in the sea for 60 days. For the purpose, ExxonMobil brought one major drilling ship, three supply vessels and two helicopters at the site.
Eni Pakistan is the operator of the block, while Exploration and Production Pakistan BV (EPP) was drilling the well. State-owned Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) are also part of the joint venture. Each of the four firms has 25% participating interest in the block.
ExxonMobil invited to start onshore exploration as well
The well was being drilled after a gap of almost nine years as the last exploratory well in an offshore block was drilled in January 2010.
“This is the 18th attempt to find hydrocarbons in deep waters in Pakistan,” the ministry official said. “Earlier, Pakistan drilled 17 times in deep sea. Wells were found either dry or not commercially viable to operate.”
Some of the surveyors have found the Indus-G block similar to the Indian offshore Mumbai High oilfield, which produces 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) while some compare it with the wells producing hydrocarbons in the oil and gas-rich Kuwait.
ExxonMobil Corporation, through ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Pakistan BV (EPP), had acquired 25% participating interest in May 2018 in the offshore Indus-G block.
Pakistan meets around 15-20% of its energy needs through domestic oil and gas exploration and production while the rest is met through expensive imports.
Oil and gas imports cost Pakistan around one-fourth of the total import bill for a year. The country has emerged as one of the largest gas (liquefied natural gas) importers in the last couple of years globally.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2019.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1925820/2-exxonmobil-suspends-offshore-drilling-near-karachi-coast/
I had read this article within few mints after publishing it, but didn't post it here because of fear of bad news, It is now 17 march, and still we don't have any update. I am just praying, May God give some Good news to this Nation soon.ExxonMobil suspends offshore drilling near Karachi coast
By Salman Siddiqui
Published: March 9, 2019
0SHARES
SHARE TWEET EMAIL
Work stops as the company’s equipment needs repair. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: US oil and gas exploration firm ExxonMobil has temporarily suspended offshore drilling in ultra-deep waters near Karachi coast, it has been learnt.
Pakistan, with the help of ExxonMobil and Eni Pakistan Limited, had begun offshore drilling after a gap of nine years in January to find huge oil and gas deposits at an estimated cost of over $100 million.
They temporarily halted drilling as their equipment needed repair, Ministry of Maritime Affairs Adviser Mahmood Moulvi told Express TV. “The parts in question will be changed in the next two to three days and subsequently drilling will resume,” he said.
After nine years, offshore drilling begins in Karachi ultra-deep waters
The fault has delayed completion of drilling operations by at least one week. “The company was scheduled to submit a drilling result report on March 7. Now, it will submit the report after March 15,” he said.
The two companies began drilling Kekra-1 well in the Indus-G block on January 11, 2019, which is located 280 km from the Karachi coast.
“Eni Pakistan has estimated nine trillion cubic feet of gas deposits in the offshore well,” an official of the Ministry of Petroleum told The Express Tribune recently, adding that ExxonMobil expected the discovery of oil deposits there.
They undertook the task to drill around 5,800-metre-deep well in the sea for 60 days. For the purpose, ExxonMobil brought one major drilling ship, three supply vessels and two helicopters at the site.
Eni Pakistan is the operator of the block, while Exploration and Production Pakistan BV (EPP) was drilling the well. State-owned Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) are also part of the joint venture. Each of the four firms has 25% participating interest in the block.
ExxonMobil invited to start onshore exploration as well
The well was being drilled after a gap of almost nine years as the last exploratory well in an offshore block was drilled in January 2010.
“This is the 18th attempt to find hydrocarbons in deep waters in Pakistan,” the ministry official said. “Earlier, Pakistan drilled 17 times in deep sea. Wells were found either dry or not commercially viable to operate.”
Some of the surveyors have found the Indus-G block similar to the Indian offshore Mumbai High oilfield, which produces 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) while some compare it with the wells producing hydrocarbons in the oil and gas-rich Kuwait.
ExxonMobil Corporation, through ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Pakistan BV (EPP), had acquired 25% participating interest in May 2018 in the offshore Indus-G block.
Pakistan meets around 15-20% of its energy needs through domestic oil and gas exploration and production while the rest is met through expensive imports.
Oil and gas imports cost Pakistan around one-fourth of the total import bill for a year. The country has emerged as one of the largest gas (liquefied natural gas) importers in the last couple of years globally.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2019.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1925820/2-exxonmobil-suspends-offshore-drilling-near-karachi-coast/
I read somewhere that the preliminary report on the potential of Kekra-1 wasn't gonna come out until April. Good or bad offshore oil and gas is one of the resources we should think of. Pakistan has other proven energy resources.
The report for offshore Kekra 1 well was to be submitted after 15th march 2019. So we should expect the verdict any day now.
I hope and pray to Allah SWT to give us good news which may turn out to be beneficial for the economy in a few years.
I had read this article within few mints after publishing it, but didn't post it here because of fear of bad news, It is now 17 march, and still we don't have any update. I am just praying, May God give some Good news to this Nation soon.
I think the delay in the drilling may have been to a drill bit breaking issue. This is not uncommon in wildcat wells where the geological information is largely an unknown. The difficult rock types while drilling blind cause such issues.
Having said that... I have been watching the area via satellite updates on a daily (almost 5 times a day)… I think we may be in for pleasant surprise in April. This is due to a number of clues...
1. The drill ship is continuously being supported by "field" development ships...
2. You usually wouldn't see such development if the wildcat exploratory well is dry
Just my 2 cents.
Finger crossed, heart is beating faster. May God give us the good news this time.I think the delay in the drilling may have been to a drill bit breaking issue. This is not uncommon in wildcat wells where the geological information is largely an unknown. The difficult rock types while drilling blind cause such issues.
Having said that... I have been watching the area via satellite updates on a daily (almost 5 times a day)… I think we may be in for pleasant surprise in April. This is due to a number of clues...
1. The drill ship is continuously being supported by "field" development ships...
2. You usually wouldn't see such development if the wildcat exploratory well is dry
Just my 2 cents.
Correction:
I have stated on this forum on multiple times that the Saipem 1200 drillship has left the drill site end of March early April.
I may have been wrong. I wish to retract that statement.
Apparently the ship is back at the site as per the latest GPS update by Marine Traffic Website.
Here is the drillship latest GPS location: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ai...22.50478/zoom:10/mmsi:311030700/shipid:373247
Ship info: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ai...msi:311030700/imo:9437359/vessel:SAIPEM_12000
I am not sure if the ship returned back to the location or it never left.
I apologize for the mistake or any misdirection.
Regards,
Clutch