United Oil & Gas Plc announced an update on the testing of the ASH-4 development well ("ASH-4") in the Abu Sennan licence, onshore Egypt. United holds a 22% non-operating interest in the Abu Sennan licence, which is operated by Kuwait Energy Egypt. The ASH-4 development well, a step-out development well in the ASH field, encountered 20 metres of net pay through the primary Alam El Bueib reservoir target as announced on 28 October 2022.

ASH-4 reached TD of 4,000 metres on 29 October, and was successfully tested from the targeted AEB formation. Preliminary results indicate average flow rates of 2,101 bopd and 3 mmscf/d (c. 2,700 boepd gross; 594 boepd net working interest) on a maximum 40/64" choke. Rates of 1,325 bopd and 1.8 mmscf/d (c. 1,685 boepd gross; 371 boepd net working interest) were achieved on a reduced 32/64" choke, with no water production.

The rates on the smaller 32/64" choke size are expected to be more representative of the sustainable flow levels that will be achieved when the well is brought onstream through the existing ASH facilities in the coming days. The ST-1 rig will now move to the site of the ASW-1X exploration well which will  be the fifth and final well in the 2022 drilling campaign. This well will target un-risked mean recoverable resources estimated by United at approximately 8 mmbbls gross in multiple reservoirs to the south-west of the ASH field.

This is a key well, not just for the significant volumes that it is targeting directly, but also for the potential to de-risk a number of other similar structures in this portion of the licence. A further update on the commencement of drilling will be made in due course. As previously announced, the AJ-14 development well encountered seven metres of net pay in the primary Abu Roash-C ("ARC") target.

A comprehensive technical review to optimise the forward options for this well has now been carried out by the JV partners. Following this review, and the availability of a workover rig, it is now expected that a stimulation programme will be completed on the AJ-14 well over the coming weeks. Well stimulation has previously delivered successful results on a number of Abu Sennan wells, and on completion, commercial flow-rates in line with the pre-drill expectations of c. 300bopd gross are expected to be established from this well.