TAG Oil, the Canadian oil and gas exploration company, has provided an update on the production testing of its T-200 vertical well at the Badr Oil Field (BED-1) in Egypt’s Western Desert, according to a statement on October 19.

The T-200 well was drilled and completed on budget to a total depth of 4,160 metres, targeting the Abu Roash F reservoir, the company added.

TAG said that it began well unloading operations, using nitrogen lifting through coiled tubing to displace the brine in the production tubing.

It added has yet to recover formation oil at the surface of the well during initial testing.

The company explained that the results suggested restricted flow that could be related to near-wellbore formation damage or reservoir skin.

TAG said that it temporarily shut in the well to allow the drilling rig to be released from the site, with plans to conduct an acid stimulation treatment, a technique used in carbonate reservoirs to improve wellbore cleanup and restore formation flow capacity, before resuming testing.

TAG Oil is developing the unconventional heavy oil Abu Roash “F” formation at Egypt’s BED-1 field using enhanced oil recovery techniques, horizontal drilling, and hydraulic fracturing.

The company also plans to evaluate the Southeast Ras Qattara concession, where it intends to drill a vertical well in 2027, subject to revised concession terms.