Kurdistan Operational Update

RNS Number : 3174A

Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd

31 January 2011

 



Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction.

31 January 2011

Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. (AIM: GKP)

("Gulf Keystone" or "the Company")

Kurdistan Operational Update

Gulf Keystone today provides an update on its active work program in Kurdistan.

Sheikh Adi - 1

The Sheikh Adi-1 exploration well is currently at the 13.375 inch casing point at the bottom of the Cretaceous interval after side tracking around a section of the bottom hole assembly that had become stuck in the open hole.  The forward plan is to set 13.375 inch casing and drill out into the top of the Jurassic age formations and the first of the primary exploration targets for this well.

Shaikan-2

The Shaikan-2 appraisal well (9 km east of Shaikan-1) is currently drilling 17.5 inch hole at approximately 1,210 metres.  The forward plan is to drill to the bottom of the Cretaceous interval, set 13.375 inch casing and then drill into the first of the Jurassic age target intervals.

Extended Well Test

The Shaikan-1 discovery well and the Shaikan-3 well are both now tied into the extended well test facility and ready to produce from the Jurassic age Sargelu reservoir.  To date, the Company has sold over 63,000 barrels of oil into the domestic Kurdistan market, which has yielded valuable commercial and marketing information.  The Company has signed an initial quarterly sales contract for 2,500 tons (for Sargelu crude oil, one ton equals 6.7 barrels) of oil per week to be sold into the Kurdistan domestic market.

3D Seismic Program

The 3D seismic data acquisition program has been fully completed on both the Shaikan and the Sheikh Adi structures.  Data processing and seismic interpretation will continue until at least June of this year.

Shaikan-4

The location for this well, the second deep appraisal well on the Shaikan structure (6 km west of Shaikan-1), has been completed and the Company has signed a letter of intent with AOS for their Discoverer 3 drilling rig.  This 2000 hp rig will begin moving from Tunisia to Kurdistan in February and well spud is currently anticipated by the end of March.  Shaikan-4 is targeted to drill the Jurassic and Triassic age formations and if warranted, into the top of the Permian.

Akri-Bijeel

Kalegran (100% subsidiary of MOL) is currently rigging up on the Bekhme-1.  This well is designated as a Jurassic exploration well with a target depth of 2,900 metres (depending on well results). The well is expected to spud by mid March.

John Gerstenlauer, Gulf Keystone's Chief Operating Officer commented "We will very shortly have two appraisal wells and two exploration wells underway in Kurdistan.  We are very excited about the possibilities that this implies for our holdings in Kurdistan and we are looking forward to a very interesting and rewarding 2011."

Enquiries:

Gulf Keystone Petroleum:	[phone]
Todd Kozel, Executive Chairman
Ewen Ainsworth, Chief Financial Officer
Strand Hanson Limited	[phone]
Simon Raggett / Rory Murphy / James Harris
Mirabaud Securities LLP	[phone]
Peter Krens
Pelham Bell Pottinger	[phone]
Mark Antelme

or visit: www.gulfkeystone.com

John Gerstenlauer, the Company's Chief Operating Officer, who has 31 years of relevant experience within the sector meets the criteria of a qualified person under the AIM note for mining, oil and gas companies and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this announcement.  Mr. Gerstenlauer is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Notes to Editors:

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. (AIM: GKP) is an independent oil and gas exploration company focused on exploration in the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq.

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum International (GKPI) holds Production Sharing Contracts for four exploration blocks in Kurdistan.

§ The Company's shares have traded on the AIM market, since listing on 8 Sept 2004.

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum Limited is registered in Hamilton, Bermuda with offices in Erbil, Kurdistan, Algiers, Algeria and London, UK.

Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. This document (and the information contained herein) does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale, or solicitation of an offer to purchase securities, in the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless the securities are registered under the Securities Act, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available. No public offering of the securities will be made in the United States.

 

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