OREANDA-NEWS. Gazprom Neft has begun its production drilling programme at the Badra field in Iraq where Gazprom Neft is the field operator. Drilling work began with a well over 4,800 meters long in May 2014 under a contract with Chinese company ZPEC which provided for the drilling of six wells in total. Two development wells have now been successfully tested and switched to production status, making it possible to launch commercial oil production at Badra. The development of a third well is still under way.

On 31 May, Gazprom Neft began production at the Badra oilfield in Iraq. The central gathering station (CGS) is currently undergoing complex testing of its crude oil processing system. Testing will be completed in three months once enough oil has been accumulated for commercial production to begin. The Badra field will then be ready to reach planned production levels of 15 thousand barrels per day. New infrastructure for the field's commercial development has been put in place. The CGS's first line has been constructed with a capacity of 60 thousand barrels per day and in March 2014 the Badra field was connected to the 165-kilometre-long main Iraqi oil pipeline system.