Recent Successes in North Kuwait: The Emerging Jurassic Play

Singh, Sunil Kumar, M. D. Al-Ajmi, N. C. Banik, A. Al-Khamiss, J. M. Drevon, A. Corley, H. Wu, A. J. Lomando, T. O’Hearn, Kuwait Oil Company, Ahmadi, Kuwait

Kuwait has many world-class oil fields that produce tremendous quantities of hydrocar­bons from shallow Cretaceous reservoirs. With the exception of the Greater Burgan Field in southeastern Kuwait the exploration potential of the deeper, overpressured Jurassic interval was considered poor over the remaining parts of the country. However, recently, an aggres­sive drilling program, designed to evaluate the Jurassic section, has resulted in significant discoveries from these deeper intervals in central and northern Kuwait.

In 1996 an extensive seismic acquisition program was commenced resulting in new 2D and 3D datasets covering the entire country of Kuwait. With these new data a comprehen­sive re-interpretation of the Jurassic hydrocarbon system for Kuwait was undertaken. These efforts have resulted in the emergence of two highly successful exploration plays for Jurassic carbonates: 1) A fracture play in the Najmah and Sargelu formations (where Najmah is also the primary Jurassic source); and 2) A trend in the Marrat formation where fracture development complements a low to moderate matrix porosity system.

A major step in the renewed Jurassic exploration effort was the discovery of commer­cial hydrocarbons in the Jurassic section at Northwest Raudhatain structure in northern Kuwait. Subsequent drilling and further successes at Sabriyah, Kahlulah, Raudhatain, Rahiyah, Kra-Al Maru, Mutriba, and Bahrah structures have firmly established the Jurassic interval as a high potential exploration play for all of onshore Kuwait. Given the size of these structures and with average rates on test for individual objects ranging from 4200-5700 BOPD of light gravity crude (42-52oAPI), the Jurassic exploration program is adding sub­stantial reserves for Kuwait.