Sumar oil field, which was discovered in 2009 in the western province of Kermanshah, is jointly owned by Iran and Iraq. It holds 475 million barrels of crude oil in place, 70 million barrels of which is recoverable.

Whereas Sumar field is shared with neighboring Iraq, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has prioritized its development.

But when Iran decided to develop it, Iran"s petroleum industry was under international sanctions and it had to award the contract to Iranian companies under an EPCF agreement. The contract envisaged drilling two wells, building stations for transmission and separation of oil and gas, and establishing pumping and gathering systems. Production from Sumar was initially expected to start two years after the start of operations with Phase 1 output at 5,000 b/d and Phase II output at 10,000 b/d, but this objective was not achieved.

However, the Iranian Central Oil Fields Company (IOFC), which administers Sumar, drilled one well which produced 3,000 b/d. The oil produced from this field is being carried via a 23-kilometer pipeline to Naftshahr production/desalination unit.

In preliminary assessment report on the Sumar oil field in 2009 and 2010, development of the field in Asmari Formation with an initial output of 5,000 b/d from four wells was envisaged.

In the study conducted for the transfer of oil from the Sumar oil field to the Naftshahr production and desalination unit, installation of multiphase pumps, and a single-phase transmission system including a separator, pump and compressor fitted with OLGA and PIPESIM were envisaged.

The preliminary studies indicated that at most 5,000 b/d of pre-salt oil could be processed at the Naftshahr production and desalination unit. But as long as non-salt oil is being produced, processing of the entire oil is possible in the old unit.

Drilling three new vertical fields in Asmari Formation, workover of an oil production well, installing a 25-kilometer offshore streamline stretching from wells to manifold, acquisition of land and drilling of well, setting up manifold and two-phase separation system, purchase and installation of single-phase pumping system with a capacity of 10,000 b/d, 123 horsepower and 550 pam external pressure, laying out 23-kilometer pipeline to carry 10,000 b/d of oil to Naftshahr production and desalination unit, installing 48 kilometers of power supply lines and a 1.5MW electricity station stretching from Naftshahr to satellite manifold and Sumar wells are among the most important equipment and facilities needed for Phase 1.

According to initial estimates, IRR 25.593 billion plus $67.38 million in investment is needed for the development of this field.
Dey & Sefid Zakhour

The Dey and Sefid Zakhour fields are among newly discovered gas reservoirs in Iran. The close distance between the two fields has led officials to consider their development together.

The duo currently needs investment and state-of-the-art technology. Iran has offered Dey and Sefid Zakhour for investment.

The Sefid Zakhour anticline is located north of the Dey anticline, 150 kilometers southwest of the southern city of Shiraz.

Dey and Sefid Zakhour are estimated to hold 6.2 tcf and 6.5 tcf of gas in place, respectively. The two fields were discovered in 2005 and were said to contain 11.4 tcf of gas. With a recovery rate of 75%, 8.5 tcf of gas may be extracted from them.

In order to complete exploration data in this field, 2D seismic testing was conducted in 2003 and the results were analyzed and interpreted. Sefid Zakhour anticline was said to have potential for production. Drilling operations started and the first exploration well was spudded at a depth of 5,271 meters.

The Exploration directorate of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) explored sweet gas in different layers of Kangan Dalan.

Sefid Zakhour is estimated to hold 205 million barrels of condensate in place with a recovery rate of 35%.

According to the NIOC Exploration Directorate forecasts, in case 17 wells are drilled 30 mcm/d of gas may be recovered.

Sefid Zakhour anticline is located around 30 kilometers south of the city of Qir.

The planned development of Dey and Sefid Zakhour fields in Fars Province is expected to provide 15.1 mcm of gas and 10,000 barrels of condensate.

Wellhead equipment, stream pipelines, green space and processing unit are envisaged in the development projects.

Establishment of a center for gathering and separation, laying out pipelines, installations for Farashband processing unit and drilling projects are among activities considered for this project.

The next objective sought by these projects is to develop the Farashband refinery to create a gas processing capacity of 21 mcm/d. The refinery processing capacity is planned to increase 5 mcm/d, while the produced gas would be injected into the Iran Gas Trunkline 2 (IGAT2). Meantime, gas condensate will be transferred to the Shiraz refinery.

A refinery is envisaged for the two fields in two phases under engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) framework. Phase 1 is already complete and Phase 2 is under way.

Acquisition of land for laying out pipelines and drilling wells, completing the existing two wells, drilling and completion of 11 new fields, purchase of commodities and activating wellhead installations, laying out wellhead pipelines, setting up a gas and condensate separation center, installation of two pumps to transfer condensate from Sefid Zakhour, purchase and installation of pig running system, installation of line break valves, establishment of logistics camps, power supply, acquisition of land for the refinery, development of Farashband refinery including dehydration and gas condensate stability units, hydrocarbon dew point regulation unit, low-pressure gas recovery compressors, and installation of pumps to carry liquids from the refinery to Taheri Port are among the most important equipment needed in the upstream and downstream sectors of this project.

According to initial estimates, Dey and Sefid Zakhour would need IRR 8615.4 billion plus $519.5 million in investment.

Due to the decline in the flow of feedstock into Fajr Jam refinery and the plan to get feedstock from neighboring fields, delivery of gas produced in Sefid Zakhour to Fajr Jam refinery is among the most important plans for domestic gas supply.