BP awards first phase Oman appraisal contracts

These include contracts for seismic acquisition services, seismic reprocessing, select stage engineering and drilling rigs.

Global Geophysical Services has been awarded the contract for seismic acquisition. The US company will shoot 3D seismic over most of the 2,800 square kilometres of the acreage, mobilisation for which will be at the end of this year.

PGS Data Processing Middle East has been awarded the contract for processing of the new seismic and re-processing of the existing seismic data over the concession area.

Worley Parsons Oman has been awarded the select stage engineering contract. The scope of services under the select stage engineering include evaluation of options for the appraisal phase of early production of the Khazzan/Makarem gas fields.

Dalma Energy & Co LLC Oman has been awarded the drilling contract with a two rig well programme planned to commence by the end of 2008.

BP signed an exploration and production sharing agreement for the appraisal and development of the Khazzan/Makarem fields in January 2007. The contracts awarded are part of the six programme to appraise the 'tight' gas reservoirs.

'These contract awards represent an important milestone in BP's commitment to assess the development potential of the gas resources in Block 61. Together with the government of the Sultanate of Oman, this allows us to move forward with confidence in appraising this significant gas field,'

said Michael Townshend, President, BP Oman.