18 September 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS – AFREN, the UK company with significant presence in Nigeria, says it has begun oil exploration at the East Simrit prospect (Simrit-3 well) located on the Ain Sifni PSC in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
The company said in a statement issued by its chairman, Mr. Egbert Imomoh: “Afren and operator, Hunt Oil Middle East, have commenced drilling of oil at the East Simrit on the Ain Sifni PSC in the region.”
It stated that the Simrit-3 oil well is located approximately 10 kilometres east of the successful Simrit-2 discovery well, and is exploring the eastern extent of the large scale Simrit anticline.”
Imomoh said, to test the western extent of the structure, Afren partners recently completed the drilling of Simrit-2 exploration well, which was ultimately drilled to a total measured depth of 3,800 metres and encountered 460 metres of net oil pay throughout Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic age reservoirs.
In the statement, the company further announced that no oil water contact had been established in the target reservoirs, adding that following the conclusion of drilling operations in June, a comprehensive well test programme had started and is ongoing.