Valeura Starts Drilling Turkey Well

Turkey-focused gas explorer, Valeura Energy, has started drilling operations at the Devepinar-1 appraisal well in the Thrace Basin, it said February 20.

It is about 20 km to the west of the Inanli-1 appraisal well and the location was selected by Valeura and its partners Equinor Turkey and Pinnacle Turkey International as a substantial step-out in what it believes could be a very big commercial prospect.

The well is planned to be drilled to 4,300 metres, and will take about 80 days, but the design will allow for the well to be drilled deeper if required, Valeura added.

Canada-listed Valeura is operator with a working interest of 31.5% in the deep rights of the West Thrace exploration license, with Equinor holding 50% and Pinnacle the remaining 18.5%.

Commenting on the Inanli-1 well, the company said that the multi-stage reservoir stimulation and flow testing operations will target at least four intervals of interest identified in the well’s 1,615 metre gross objective section.

“Valeura will return to well operations in the next few weeks to conduct a diagnostic fracture integrity test at the bottom of the well to confirm the maximum pressure. This is required to select equipment that will be used for the stimulation and testing operations,” it said.

The company has procured long-lead items and consumables in relation to the completion programme. Stimulation and testing operations are expected to start in April, 2019.