In early November 2019, Occidental of Oman Inc (Oxy) completed drilling operations at the Safah 676 exploration well in its 4,085 sq km Block 9 (Suneinah) licence. No result has been reported but it is understood that a natural flow completion has been run. The lateral hole was drilled to approximately 3,460 m. Safah 676 was spudded in late August 2019. Following the exploration and production sharing agreement revision in early-2017, rightholders in Block 9 are Occidental of Oman Inc. (50% operator), Oman Oil Exploration and Production LLC (45%) and Mitsui E&P Middle East BV (5%). Production from the block in September 2019 was reported to be approximately 90,000 b/d of condensate and 44,000 MMcfg/d.   The Safah field was discovered in February 1983 and currently produces oil from the Cretaceous Shu'aiba Formation. The Safah 1 well penetrated a 4 m pay section of chalky limestone at the top of the upper Shu'aiba immediately beneath the Nahr Umr shales. Several tests were undertaken, the last of which flowed at 300 b/d decreasing to 50 b/d of 38Â°API oil at GOR of 1,490 scf/bbl. The two early appraisal wells were said to have tested oil at marginal rates, though Safah 2 flowed at 1,650 bo/d, and reservoir properties were regarded as disappointing, with a thin oil column. When Occidental took over operatorship in 1984 it appraised the find with 13 wells, but full development was delayed until 1987 due to the 1986 oil price collapse and subsequent concerns over the marginal economics.
Oman (Lekhwair High (Oman B.)) Safah