On 4 March 2020, SDX Energy Inc. (SDX) reported the Beni Malek-1 (BMK-1) new field wildcat completion, after finding commercial quantities of natural gas in both targeted Lower and Upper Guebbas Tortonian units, in the Gharb Centre permit. The well spudded on 25 October 2019 and it was drilled to a TD of about 1,550 m, targeting a mean of about 15 Bcfs of gross unrisked prospective resources in the licence. BMK-1 is the first of SDX's twelve exploration well campaign in the Gharb Centre permit, expected to be completed in Q2 2020.  SDX operates the block since June 2017, with a 75% interest, while ONHYM holds the remaining 25%.    The gross CapEx for the drilling campaign is estimated at USD 14 million with SDXâs share being USD 12 million. USD 3.4 million are related to long term items for the twelve wells and USD 6 million relates to four wells expected to be drilled by the end of 2019. The remaining USD 2.6 million are related to SDX share of facilities and maintenance CapEx.     Background Information    The Gharb (Rharb) is a foreland basin that developed during the Miocene and Pliocene on the northern termination of the Paleozoic basement of the Central Meseta and was covered by thin Mesozoic series.    The source rocks, generating the gas in the Rharb basin consist mainly of clay and marl with age of Tortonian, Messinian. The reservoir is composed of turbidite sands with an average porosity of 25 to 30%. The permeability could reach up to 400 md in the region. The seal rocks are provided by clay formations deposited during the Tortonian and Messinian. The traps are mainly stratigraphic (sand lenses).    ONHYM estimates the Rharb Center Area to hold in-place reserves of 1.5 Bcm (53 Bcf) of gas. The previous work in the area includes a total of 1,620 km of 2D seismic data, 527 sq km of 3D seismic data (acquired between 2012 and 2013) and 57 drilled wells.    On 1 June 2017, SDX Energy was awarded the onshore Gharb Centre permit for a period of eight years. The company is committed to acquire a minimum of 200 sq km of 3D seismic data and drill two exploration wells during the first four- year period.     In November 2018, SDX Energy completed its 240 sq km 3D seismic survey over the onshore Gharb Centre permit. The survey started in mid-July 2018. The acquisition, processing, and interpretation of the 3D seismic data are estimated at a total cost of USD 6 million.
Morocco, Gharb Centre