Russia’s Gazprom has selected the US’ Schlumberger for a three-year drilling deal at the Badra oil field in Wasit province of Iraq.

The contract involves using three drilling rigs, with the first appraisal and development wells expected to be completed in early 2012.

Eleven wells will be drilled, including one exploratory and three appraisal wells, which will later be converted into operating well stock. The value of the contract has not been disclosed.

The 3 billion Badra field was awarded in January 2010 to a consortium of Gazprom, South Korea’s Kogas, Malaysia’s Petronas and TPAO of Turkey following Iraq’s second oil field contract licensing round in December 2009 (MEED 13:12:09).

Gazprom will operate the Badra field with a 30 per cent stake, lifting production at the currently inactive reservoir to 170,000 barrels a day by 2017. Production is expected to begin in 2013. Seismic surveys were completed in May and the front end-engineering and design work for facilities by September 2011.

In November 2010, Schlumberger was awarded a contract by the US’ ExxonMobil to drill 10 wells at the West Qurna-1 oil field in the south of the country.