Talisman - Oil & Gas Journal, April 9-15
Talisman Energy Ltd., Calgary, plans $120 million (Canadian) in capital
spending this year attributable to its 25% working interest in exploration
and development operations in southern Sudan.
In fact, the company announced a large oil discovery at the Shelungo wildcat,
the first well drilled on the west side of the controversial concession.
Appraisal drilling will be required.
Talisman operates the 12.2 million-acre Greater Nile Oil Project (GNOP).
Critics allege revenues from the project help the Khartoum government fund
the war against Sudanese in the south (OGJ, Jan. 17, 2000, p. 38).
Last year, Talisman endorsed recommendations in an Amnesty International
report regarding oil operations and the civil war. Talisman agreed to set
up its own human rights monitoring program in Sudan (OGJ Online, Aug. 21,
2000).
The state oil companies of China, Malaysia, and Sudan are partners in GNOP,
which is producing 211,000 b/d of crude that is exported.
Six fields produce oil for shipment through a 932-mile buried pipeline
to a modern offshore loading and storage facility at Port Sudan on the
Red Sea. Several other discoveries are scheduled for development. Production
began in late 1999.
Talisman's 52,750 b/d share of production is forecast to increase to 65,000
b/d in 2002. The company plans to drill 17 exploration wells and 25 development
wells on the Sudan acreage this year, said Jim Buckee, CEO. |
