The exploration well is planned to be drilled to about 4000 metres below ground depth

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The drill site will be within the northern part of Block 49. (Credit: John R Perry from Pixabay)

Swedish oil company Tethys Oil has commenced the drilling of the Thameen-1 exploration well on Block 49 onshore the Sultanate of Oman.

The exploration well is planned to be drilled to about 4000 metres below ground depth, with drilling operations expected to last about 45 days.

The drill site will be within the northern part of Block 49 at Marsudad village in the Wilayat of Muqhsin.

The primary target of drilling the well is the Late Ordovician Hasirah Sandstone layer at 3,500 metres (TVD) of depth and the secondary target is the Mid-Ordovician Saih Nihayda Sandstone at a depth of 3,700 metres (TVD).

Thameen-1 exploration well will explore shallower Gharif Sandstone

Additionally, the Thameen-1 exploration well will also explore the shallower Gharif Sandstone.

Tethys Oil managing director Magnus Nordin said: “We are delighted to have started drilling operations on Block 49. The Thameen-1 well is designed to penetrate several potentially hydrocarbon bearing rock layers.

“We have three defined targets, but we will analyse all data from the well to increase our understanding of the potential oil plays in the block, conventional as well as unconventional.”

The Block 49 covers 15,439km2 in the south-west of the Sultanate of Oman within the Governate of Dhofar.

The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Tethys Oil Montasar, has reached a contract with Abraj Energy Services SAOC for the provision of the Abraj-204 drilling rig.

In November last year, the oil company has entered into a farm-out agreement with EOG Resources Oman, a wholly owned subsidiary of EOG Resources, for Block 49.

Under the agreement, EOG Resources will acquire a 50% stake in the onshore block from Tethys Oil’s wholly owned subsidiary Tethys Oil Montasar, subject to government approval.