US oil company Apache, the largest oil and gas lease holder by area in the country’s Western Desert, has temporarily abandoned three drilling wells.
The drilling operation for WKAL-L-D-1X entailed costs of $3.940 million, according to the company. The well was drilled to a depth of 14,950 feet in the West Kalabsha D exploration lease, Marmarica basin. It was drilled using the EDC-59 rig, and encountered oil, but Apache took the decision to temporarily abandon the discovery.
WKAL-O-1X was also drilled in the West Kalabsha field, in the West Kalabsha O exploratory lease.
The well was similarly temporarily plugged despite encountering oil, after being drilled to a depth of 15,470 feet using the EDC-59 rig. The drilling of the well was conducted at a cost of $3.722 million.
The WKAN-D-1X well was drilled in the West Kanayes D exploration lease, Northern Egypt basin, using the EDC-57 rig, at a total cost of $3.910 million. The company also temporarily abandoned this well after encountering oil.
Apache is exploring the Western Desert together with Egypt’s General Petroleum Corporation.
