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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
JV partners in the Groupement Isarene – Sonatrach, Petroceltic, and Enel–have contracted Sinopec for use of a drilling rig on the Isarene Permit’s Ain Tsila gas and condensate development project in Algeria.
Groupement Isarene successfully completed the tendering process resulting in the award and signature of the contract to Sinopec. The 1,500 horse power rig, which is now built and ready to ship, will drill up to 24 new development wells. The first 12 drilling locations, all in the northern region of the field, have already been selected and approved. The award of the rig contract represents the achievement of a further milestone for the Ain Tsila project and will enable drilling to commence on schedule in 2015.
The JV are also on the hunt for suitable companies to perform the EPC work and have published an invitation to firms to pre-qualify in the Algerian Bulletin of Public Tenders in the Energy and Mine Sector. The partners are expected to have a short-list of potential bidders who will be formally invited to tender for the EPC contract shortly.
The FEED for the project, which was awarded in September 2014 to Chicago Bridge and Iron, is also progressing well.
“We are pleased with the award of the rig contract to Sinopec, a company with extensive experience in Algeria,” said Brian O’Cathain, chief executive of Petroceltic. “This award demonstrates the significant progress that Petroceltic and its partners are making towards the development of the world class AinTsila gas condensate field. The next important project milestone will be the launch of the invitation to tender for the EPC contract which we expect to occur in the second quarter of this year. The project remains on track to deliver first sales gas in Q4 2018.”
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