China Great Wall Drilling Awarded Over US$100 Million Drilling Services Contract in Oman

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, the Oman Branch of China National Petroleum Corporation's Great Wall Drilling Company received a letter of award for a drilling services project from MedcoEnergi, securing a 5-year drilling services contract for 2 rigs in Oman's Karim Small Fields (KSF) oilfield, with an award value exceeding US$100 million. The project is operated by MedcoEnergi and involves continued development operations in oilfields under Petroleum Development Oman (PDO).

The tender attracted participation from multiple international oilfield service companies. During technical evaluation, MedcoEnergi imposed requirements on rig performance, inter-wellsite moving efficiency, and drilling operation organization. Great Wall Drilling plans to deploy China-manufactured key drilling and completion equipment, including top drives and iron roughnecks, and adopt an integrated modular fast-moving rig solution for the project. Since learning in September 2022 that the client had initiated rig market research, Great Wall Drilling has continuously conducted technical exchanges, presenting rig configurations, wellsite moving solutions, and safety management systems.

MedcoEnergi has participated in KSF oilfield operations since 2006 and currently holds a 58.5% working interest in the service contract. According to the company's 2025 annual report, the KSF project covers 34 oilfields and completed 33 wells in that year, including the Anuq West-1 exploration well. The well achieved exploration results in the Ara/Birba reservoirs, adding approximately 350 barrels per day in production.

KSF oilfield's oil production reached an average of 15,400 barrels per day in 2025, and the project simultaneously implements infill drilling, waterflood development, and steam flooding enhanced oil recovery operations. MedcoEnergi added approximately 9 million barrels of proven and probable reserves combined that year and continues to advance the Ilham oilfield steam flooding development plan and the Simsim oilfield chemical flooding pilot.

Omani oilfield services company Abraj Energy Services confirmed in its second-quarter operating report published on July 28, 2026, that one rig serving MedcoEnergi had its contract ended in the second quarter and is planned to be transferred to other PDO projects. The company disclosed at the time that this rig was awaiting redeployment as of the end of June and was expected to commence a new assignment before the end of the third quarter.