Genel Energy plc ('Genel') notes that DNO ASA, as operator of the Tawke PSC (Genel 25% working interest), has today announced a two-thirds increase in production from the Peshkabir field in the Tawke licence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to 25,000 bopd following completion of the Peshkabir-4 well testing program.

The well has been placed on production at a rate of 10,000 bopd through a 72/64" choke with 790 psi wellhead pressure through temporary, capacity-constrained test facilities and the oil trucked to Fishkhabur for export. 

The Peshkabir-4 well was designed as a high angle well to assess the central part of the structure four kilometres west of the Peshkabir-3 well and drilled to a measured depth of 3,525 meters, including a 1,150 meter extended reach reservoir section. A total of 11 zones were tested and flowed between 1,500 bopd and 7,000 bopd per zone. 

The next well in the 2018 field development campaign, Peshkabir-5, has been drilled seven kilometres west of Peshkabir-3 and has successfully proved the westward extension of the field. Completed in June, it is currently undergoing final testing; a total of four zones have been tested so far and flowed between 4,000 bopd and 7,500 bopd per zone. This well will be brought onstream in August and the operator, DNO, expects to reach and surpass its previously announced summer 2018 Peshkabir production target of 30,000 bopd.

Two other wells, Peshkabir-6 and Peshkabir-7, are drilling ahead at 3,900 meters and 3,100 meters, respectively. Peshkabir-6, a near vertical well, will explore the field's deeper Triassic formation and establish the Cretaceous oil/water contact level. Peshkabir-7 is a high angle producer well located between Peshkabir-4 and Peshkabir-5.  

The Peshkabir field was brought on production in 2017 and two drilled wells last year, Peshkabir-2 and Peshkabir-3, have produced at a constant combined rate of around 15,000 bopd. 

The Tawke licence contains the Tawke and Peshkabir fields. Together, output from the two fields has averaged 106,000 bopd year-to-date.

Murat Özgül, Chief Executive of Genel, said:
"Peshkabir continues to exceed our expectations. As the field is part of the Tawke PSC, these are high-value barrels to Genel that benefit from the Receivable Settlement Agreement and will further bolster our free cash flow generation, which is currently over $10 million a month.