The British company thus begins its campaign, in which it plans to drill another well in 2022

SDX Energy anuncia la perforación de un nuevo pozo de gas en Marruecos

photo_camera PHOTO/FILE - Gas installation

The British energy company SDX Energy has announced the start of the drilling of the SAK-1 gas well, thus beginning the campaign it has planned with another drilling in 2022, both in the Moroccan province of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra. 

The British company announced in a statement that the target of the SAK-1 well is the Guebbas formation reservoir at a depth of more than 1,000 metres. It also stressed that the completion of the SAK-1 well will complete the company's remaining commitment in the Lalla Mimouna Sud concession. 

The SAK-1 is the first of a two-well campaign to be carried out in the Gharb basin, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In addition, SDX Energy is considering the possibility of constructing up to three more wells in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, depending on the results of this campaign and customer demand.

"The objective of this well is to add reserves that will allow us to continue to supply gas to our customers in accordance with their contractual requirements," said SDX chief executive Mark Reid.

"Success at SAK-1 would also open up a new exploration area to the west of our existing production hub, with several follow-on prospects already identified," he added.

Initial drilling work began on 6 August following an "okey" from Morocco's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), which holds a 25% interest in the activity.

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The Lalla Mimouna Sud concession covers an area of 857 km2, of which some 50 km2 are covered by "3D seismic"; the licence is also adjacent to the Sebou production licence and all future discoveries linked to the gas sales line in the Kenitra industrial zone. 

SDX is very strong in Morocco, holding 75% of the only private pipeline network in the country, including exploration permits for four major concessions in northern Morocco, namely Sebou Central, Lalla Mimouna Sud, Gharb Occidental and Moulay Bouchta Quest, as well as a number of production well permits. 

"The architecture of the regional basin is well understood thanks to the extensive 2D seismic framework in the area, with prospecting established in multiple horizons throughout the Miocene-age strata," says the UK company.

The Lalla Mimouna Sud concession was awarded to SDX for the next eight years, with a commitment to acquire 50 km2 of 3D seismic and an obligation to drill one exploration well in the first three years. 

The energy exploration, production and development company, which is based in London and has an office in Rabat, focuses on Europe, the Middle East and Africa, selling gas produced in Morocco to eight customers at prices ranging from $10 to $12 per cubic metre. 

gas-marruecos-yacimiento

For SDX, Morocco has always been a favourite destination, and since the drilling programme it started in 2017 in the Gharb basin became a reality and achieved a success rate of more than 80%, the company has not stopped working in the Kingdom. 

That is why on its website the British company highlights Moroccan production assets, which "are characterised by attractive gas prices and exceptionally low operating costs". 

Another reason for its investment in Morocco is because the country "is one of the best tax regimes in the sector and the gas market is largely underserved by domestic production", says SDX.

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