New wells are now being drilled faster and more safely and efficiently than at any other time in Rumaila’s history.

• • New wells contribute 45% of the (approx.) 1.4 million barrels per day production rate.
  • In 2024, a total of 81 producer, injector and disposal wells were drilled, exceeding the annual plan by one well.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being deployed to improve safety.

Maximizing production from existing wells is also crucial. More than 1,800 workovers have been completed to renew old and underperforming wells to keep them flowing and to bring ceased wells back into production.

Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESPs) continued to play a major role in delivering high levels of oil production. A 10-year programme is currently under way at Rumaila to increase the number of ESPs to 1,500. During 2024, 58 new ESPs were put online, and 65 replacement ESPs installed. A total of 1,283 ESPs have been installed since 2010.

Other activities to support production have included upgrading hundreds of wells with chrome tubing to prevent corrosion and the use of advanced tools for acid stimulation, leak detection and fishing tasks to improve well bore effectiveness.

Smart coil units and mast coil units undertake a range of jobs without the need to erect workover rigs – a costly and time-expensive process. More than 80,000 ‘rigless’ well service jobs have been completed since 2010 to:

• slow reservoir depletion by stimulating and re-perforating wells
• re-energize ceased wells through nitrogen lifting.