OMAN - ARA Exploration & Production (E&P)
ARA E&P was established in 2016 to explore, develop, and produce hydrocarbons from the 5,800 Sq Km QSF Contract Area.
The purpose of this contract is to safely maximize commercial production of oil and associated gas from existing small fields and any future new discoveries.
ARA E&P immediately set to work and increased production from approximately 700 bbls/day to 12,000 bbls/day and expect to increase this further to around 30,000 bbls/day or more in the coming years.
Since assuming responsibility for this area ARA E&P have discovered the Mashari West & Teeb fields and the Burhan Shuaiba formation. In 2022 ARA E&P discovered the very promising Farha field that is currently being appraised.
A key driver in the delivery of this success has been ARA E&P’s attention to In Country Value (ICV) and the focus to maximize spending within Oman and with Omani businesses.
QSF MAP
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Regional MAP
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QSF FACTS
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80
Wells
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15
Fields
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100% (OP)
Working Interest
- 83 Well pads prepared
- 80 New Wells Drilled
- 174 km of Flowlines laid
- 17 Manifolds installed
- 78 km of Access roads constructed
- 7 Rig camps built
- 5 Evaporation ponds prepared
- 1 New Fiscal Meter station Installed
Exploration
ARA E&P have had tremendous exploration success in the last few years with the four significant discoveries made which have resulted in a steady 2C-to-2P conversion through appraisal drilling and FDP work – a total of six FDPs or FDP updates were submitted between 2017 & 2023 and a further nine are due by 2027. This has resulted an incredible 55-fold increase in 2P reserves so far and a 3.5-fold increase in contingent resources.
Production
ARA is producing from, developing, and appraising an array of varied and complex reservoirs at different depths and crude compositions by using the appropriate horizontal, deviated and vertical well configurations by adopting either primary or secondary production techniques.
ARA E&P Facilities
GM’s Message
ARA Petroleum Exploration and Production is a significant part of ARA Petroleum’s upstream oil and gas business in Oman. Managed by an experienced, dedicated and diverse team with considerable exposure to the industry in both Oman and overseas. We aim to be a leading player exploring, developing, and producing challenging hydrocarbon deposits within Oman.
The company was formed to operate the Qarat Al-Milh Small Fields (QSF) contract which was signed with PDO in 2016. A high-performance team drawn from top talent in the industry has been formed to deliver on this demanding contract.
ARA Petroleum Exploration and Production’s initial activities in the small fields area will be to focus on enhancing several producing oil fields and then quickly move on to exploration and appraisal of prospects and contingent resources.
In the longer term ARA Petroleum Exploration and Production will be developing and producing from many different reservoirs utilizing primary, secondary, and enhanced recovery technologies to maximize recovery.
We are also encouraging the development of new and existing businesses in support of our operations while creating employment opportunities for Omani nationals.
Our company is committed to provide value to the Omani economy. We are motivated towards our goals in a safe and responsible manner.
ARA Petroleum E & P commits to its HSE Vision
Everyone in ARA Petroleum E & P and its contractors commit to:
Demonstrate HSSE leadership in everything we do:
- We Stop the Work and Make Work Safe when the work is no longer safe;
- We know and understand all HSSE hazards and risks;
- We know the risks are managed, controlled and supervised;
- If we are not sure we know, we do not start or continue until we do
ARA Petroleum E & P Management commits to
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Create a culture of openness where people will safely perform their duty while they always have the authority to stop work and make work safe.
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Create a culture of openness where people will safely perform their duty while they always have the authority to stop work and make work safe.
OMAN - Block 44
In 2016 the government of Oman approved the “change of control” and ARA assumed 100% ownership and became the operator of the Block-44 concession which primarily consists of numerous relatively small non associated gas accumulations. ARA commenced the operations on the 1st of January 2017.
ARA immediately set about building advanced and comprehensive databases for the Block that included additional seismic data that was not included in the initial models. ARA subsequently merged three seismic surveys (1999 Shams 3D, 2003 Qamar (Nijma) 3D & 2013 Urq Al Salil 3D) into one seismic volume resulting in considerably enhanced imaging over an area of 1,300 Sq Kms.
All producing fields, prospects and leads was re-interpreted using the new PreSDM seismic to get a coherent understanding of the sub-surface. This had a significant impact on the opportunities while also providing better de-risking of the central area.
Furthermore, this work also identified numerous encouraging additional prospects & leads including Munhamir South which eventually resulted in a discovery in 2019. Subsequently the improved Field Development Plan (FDP) for the Shams area was initiated and completed in 2017 and modified further to include the Munhamir & Munhamir South development strategies in 2018.
In parallel ARA trained & recruited significant numbers of new staff such that all the work mentioned above was completed in house and the learning retained by the team.
Further work continued throughout the pandemic which has led to a new direction for the block and the search for oil to the west. This has culminated in a drilling campaign commencing 2023.
Block 44 MAP
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Regional MAP
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Block 44 FACTS
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14
Wells
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2
Fields
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100% (OP)
Working Interest
OMAN - Block 31
Block-31, which covers an area of 8,528 Sq km, and is immediately adjacent to ARA’s Block-44.
Naturally, the location and proximity to Block-44 provides distinct and readily deployable technical and operational synergies. The knowledge and expertise that exists within the subsurface team has & is being directly applied to the evaluation of the opportunities within Block-31.
During the initial phase ARA completed a significant number of geological and geophysical studies, with the quality of work & the resulting evidence speaking for itself. ARA, with their first exploration well, discovered the Aflak field. This well has now been put on a long-term production utilizing an early production facility (EPF) and the oil processed in the Block-44 Shams production station. Further wells are planned for the Aflak field.
Furthermore, this exploration successes leads to further appraisal and development opportunities. This coupled with the existing facilities and operational capability is being used to accelerate production resulting in both individual and organisational growth and development.
Block 31 MAP
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Regional MAP
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Block 31 Facts
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1
Wells
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1
Fields
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100% (OP)
Working Interest