DNO Opens Taps at Tawke; Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

Oslo, 17 August 2023 – DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today reported that production from its flagship Tawke field in Kurdistan has been restarted following a four-month shut-in triggered by the closure of the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline export route. Production was restarted last month to conduct well integrity tests and synchronize reservoir models but has continued in response to strong demand for Tawke oil. Field output is currently averaging 40,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd). The nearby Peshkabir field, on the same license, remains closed.

One-half of Tawke production is delivered to the Kurdistan Regional Government and the balance is sold by DNO on behalf of the contractors (DNO 75 percent and Genel Energy International Limited 25 percent) to local trading companies and the oil transported by road tanker. Prices vary by contract and average around 50 percent of pre-closure levels but payments now are made promptly and directly to DNO.

“While there is no light at the end of the export pipeline, we are seeing the headlights of more and more incoming tanker trucks loading up our Tawke cargoes on a cash-and-carry basis,” said DNO Executive Chairman Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani. “Meanwhile, our strategy of broadening DNO’s portfolio beyond Kurdistan is bearing beautiful fruit,” he added.

A total of 100 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) have been discovered net to DNO offshore Norway since 2021, of which 78 MMboe have been added so far this year, driven importantly by DNO’s 30 percent stake in Norway’s largest discovery in a decade (Carmen). Previous discoveries are moving towards development. In June, the development of the Andvare discovery (DNO 32 percent) and the Berling discovery (DNO 30 percent) received government approvals, targeting gross volumes of 11 MMboe (start-up in 2024) and 45 MMboe (start-up in 2028), respectively. DNO also recently announced a fast-track development concept for the Brasse discovery (DNO 50 percent) as a low-cost tieback to Brage production facilities (DNO 14 percent) with main terms agreed ahead of final investment decision early next year.  

“All barrels of oil or molecules of gas are not created equal,” said Mr. Mossavar-Rahmani. “Our recent discoveries have high net present value as DNO’s offshore Norway drilling campaign is deliberately designed to target lower risk prospects near existing infrastructure,” he added. “We thought such low-risk prospects would also be small to medium in size, but Carmen happily proved us wrong.”