Dalpari Oil Field
Project Overview
The Dalpari Oil Field (also referred to as Dalpori) is a strategically important onshore oil development located in Ilam Province, Iran, within the Dezful Embayment region. Discovered in 1978, the field has become a central component of regional downstream and upstream operations, often bundled with adjacent fields like East Paydar and Cheshmeh Khosh under joint development schemes.
Dalpari serves as a key asset for operators aiming to boost hydrocarbon production in western Iran, helping to meet contractual targets and maximize overall recovery in its block.
Location & Geology
History & Development Timeline
The development strategy emphasizes applying modern enhanced recovery techniques, integrated field operations, and shared processing infrastructure to improve efficiency and lower per-barrel costs.
Milestone |
Date / Period |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
Discovery | 1978 | The field was first identified via exploration efforts. |
Production start | 1999 (approx.) | The field entered into production under conventional development. |
Project bundling | Recent years | Dalpari has been grouped with East Paydar and Cheshmeh Khosh under IPC / joint management models. |
Recent performance | 2024 | The combined production from Dalpari, Cheshmeh Khosh, and Paydar fields exceeded contractual obligations, generating over USD 200 million in surplus oil revenues. |
Reserves & Production
- Proven reserves: Dalpari’s estimated recoverable reserves are on the order of 367 million barrels of oil (as of data published in 2015) under conventional classification.
- Annual production: In 2015, the field’s production was reported as approximately 5.11 million barrels per year.
- Cumulative output: Up to 2015, cumulative production had reached around 40 million barrels.
- Recent gains: In 2024, with intensified operations and optimization, the Dalpari‐Cheshmeh Khosh cluster recorded production above the contractually mandated levels — the surplus contributed significantly to project economics.
- Synergy with adjacent fields: Because Dalpari lies approximately 30 km from the central processing unit (CPU) of the Cheshmeh Khosh field, its integration into shared facilities helps reduce infrastructure redundancy and allow economies of scale.
Infrastructure & Field Operations
Shared processing & pipeline integration
The close proximity (≈ 30 km) to Cheshmeh Khosh’s central processing unit aids in using common gathering pipelines, separation modules, and treatment systems. This helps lower CAPEX and OPEX per barrel.
Joint management & contractual structure
The Dalpari project is typically executed in conjunction with fields such as East Paydar and Cheshmeh Khosh under IPC (Integrated Petroleum Contract) frameworks, enabling shared risk and reward among stakeholders.
Production optimization
Modern techniques — e.g. water injection, reservoir surveillance, infill drilling — are expected or likely to be applied to improve recovery and maintain plateau production. (While specific public sources for these techniques in Dalpari are limited, such methods are standard in analogous developments.)
Challenges & Opportunities
Challenges
- Reservoir complexity: Faulting, heterogeneity, and depth variation in Pabdeh and adjacent formations pose challenges in reservoir modeling and sweep efficiency.
- Infrastructure connectivity: Although relatively close to the CPU, building and maintaining pipeline corridors, compressor units, and utilities can be capital intensive.
- Contractual & regulatory constraints: Navigating IPC agreements, government oversight, and cost recovery provisions can complicate schedule and cash flows.
Opportunities
- Economies of scale: Integrating Dalpari with nearby fields reduces duplication of facilities and spreads fixed costs.
- Enhanced recovery potential: Using advanced reservoir management, pressure maintenance, and digital oil field technologies can raise recovery factors above base estimates.
- Production upside: Recent operations exceeded contractual benchmarks, showing that there is room for performance over baseline targets.
- Strategic value: As part of the western Iran oil portfolio, Dalpari contributes to national energy supply, reserves replacement, and export potential.