Heavy oil production from Oman Mukhaizna field tops 600m barrels

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MUSCAT: Crude production from the Mukhaizna heavy oil field in Block 53 has grossed 600 million barrels as of end-2023-end, according to Oxy Oman, the operator of this pivotal field in central Oman.

The milestone is one of several exploration and production achievements reported by Oxy Oman, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Occidental of the United States, during 2023.

Gross production from the Mukhaizna field, home to one of the world’s largest steam-flood projects, was maintained at a steady daily production rate of around 80,000 barrels of oil per day (MBOPD) since May (2023), the operator said.

“The field’s success includes a 17% reduction in Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP) failure rates and a 24% reduction in Standard Electrical Submersible Pump (SESP) failure rates. Additionally, the commissioning of the Thuleilat Temporary High-Pressure Water Injection facility showcased Oxy Oman’s commitment to innovation,” Oxy Oman stated in the newly published 2023 Annual Report of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

First discovered by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) in 1975, the Mukhaizna field was brought on stream using conventional technology in June 2000. Later acquired by Oxy Oman in 2005, the heavy oil field now features a major pattern steam flood project for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) that utilizes some of the largest mechanical vapour compressors ever built. Oxy has since drilled close to 3,580 new wells, as of end-2022.

Significantly, gross production from Oxy’s other assets in northern Oman, notably Blocks 9, 27 and 65, climbed to a record 119,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD). “Moreover, a newly drilled Initial Production (IP) well has set a record with a daily output of 6,000 BOPD, representing the highest production of an IP well in the Oman North blocks over the last 25 years,” said Oxy.

In another significant highlight of the year, the company’s 2023 exploration programme resulted in nine discoveries, with a 60% success rate. Oxy Oman also acquired and processed seismic data for 500 km2in Blocks 62 and 30, in addition to more than 2,000 km2 of 3D seismic data in Block 51, which is currently being processed.

Billed as the largest independent oil producer operating in the Sultanate of Oman, Oxy Oman’s major operations are located in northern Oman, primarily in Safah and Wadi Latham Fields in Block 9, Khamilah Field in Block 27, and in Block 62, where it operates the Muradi Huraymah gas plant, and in south-central Oman in Block 53 at Mukhaizna Field.

Seeking to leverage its expertise in carbon management to advance low-carbon initiatives, the company signed an MoU with OQ Gas Networks to jointly study potential Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) projects in Oman. It has also signed the CCUS and Blue Hydrogen Policy & Regulatory Framework Terms of Reference (CCUS TOR) with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.