MOL Subsidiary Spuds Well at Akri-Bijeel Block

MOL Subsidiary Spuds Well at Akri-Bijeel Block

Friday, March 25, 2011
Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd.

Gulf Keystone announced that the Bekhme-1 Exploration Well has spudded on the Akri-Bijeel block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on March 21, 2011.

Bekhme-1 is the second exploration well to be drilled on the Akri-Bijeel block, 20 km to the north-east from the Bijell-1 discovery well (Operator's P50 estimate of 2.4 billion barrels of oil in place). Bekhme-1 will target prospective intervals in the Jurassic and the Triassic with a planned depth of approximately 3000 meters.

The Company has a 20 percent working interest in the Akri-Bijeel block operated by Kalegran Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Plc., which holds 80 percent working interest in the block.

John Gerstenlauer, Gulf Keystone's Chief Operating Officer commented, "Bekhme-1 is the first well to be drilled on the large surface feature that dominates the north of the Akri-Bijeel block, which is adjacent to the Shaikan block with proven oil and gas reservoirs. The discoveries at Bijell-1 and Shaikan have considerably de-risked this new drilling target making Bekhme an attractive prospect."