Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) and Italian energy giant Eni on Monday announced the start-up of the Mahani-1 gas well, within a year of the onshore discovery which was the first in the emirate for 37 years.
Despite Covid-19-related challenges, which included the difficulty of importing raw materials during lockdown, and the laying of a 23,000-metre pipeline in hostile desert conditions during the summer, the well was completed in a record eight months.
It is now connected to the existing pipeline, ready to safely produce gas and liquids for processing at the Sajaa gas processing plant, owned and operated by SNOC, a statement said.
“The commencement of the first gas production from Mahani, less than a year after discovery, is a tremendous achievement for Sharjah, meeting our commitment to contribute to the efforts of making reliable gas supplies widely available for the local energy needs of Sharjah and the UAE,” said Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, president of SNOC.
Mahani-1 was drilled to a total measured depth of 14,597 feet and tested gas at flow rates of up to 50 MMSCF per day.
“Bringing on production of the first onshore discovery in Sharjah in almost four decades marks the beginning of an exciting time for SNOC and for Sharjah’s energy sector. This new production follows just two years after completion of the first Sharjah licence round, and we look forward to licence additional areas of Sharjah in line with the Emirate’s strategic plans in the coming years,” said Hatem Al Mosa, CEO of SNOC.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, president of SNOC (left), and Hatem Al Mosa, CEO of SNOC
In addition to starting production from Mahani, the planned work programme will include further drilling in order to determine the extent of the structure.
SNOC and Eni each hold a 50 percent stake in the Mahani field as part of the Area B concession agreement signed in 2019. The two companies are also partners in the onshore concession Areas A and C, where exploration is in progress.
In addition to the new Mahani field, SNOC owns and operates over 50 wells, a gas processing complex and two hydrocarbon liquid storage and export terminals.
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