Turkey’s state oil company TPAO has confirmed a billion-barrel find following the drilling of appraisal wells from its Sehit Aybuke Yalcin-1 well. The exploration test was drilled 20 km northwest of Cizre and 7 km northeast of the Sehit Esma Cevik field, which now produces about 10,000 BOPD. The well was drilled to a total depth of 2771 m and encountered more than 162 m of light oil‑bearing reservoir.
“This is the largest onshore discovery in Turkey and gives TPAO a chance to build a new regional office in Sirnak,” said TPAO Chairman And Chief Executive Melih Han Bilgin. “Developing Sehit Aybuke Yalcin and Sehit Esma Cevik with further discoveries will not only channel capital to stimulate economy in Sirnak, but also let TPAO build a state-of-the-art oil refinery to unlock the potential in the region, including fields in neighboring countries.”
TPAO will drill back-to-back appraisal wells and conduct well tests through the end of 2023 to help construct a full-field development plan. Test production began at Sehit Aybuke Yalcin at the end of April, and the production target is set for 100,000 B/D, boosting oil production in Turkey more than twofold.
Additional exploration wells are being planned for the Cudi-Gabar area in the second half of 2023. A FEED agreement has already been signed for a pipeline, but the contractor was not revealed.
TPAO holds 100% working interest in blocks AR/TPO/K/M48-D2,D3,D4 and AR/TPO/K/N48-A1, A3, A4.