JKX Oil & Gas has completed Phase 1 of the production facility upgrade at its Elizavetovskoye Field and has been awarded a 20-year production license for the field, according to a news release.

The new production license is valid for 20 years and replaces the existing five-year exploration license which was due to expire at the end of November. The license covers an area of 70.8 sq km (27 sq miles).

The Phase 1 upgrade doubles the plant capacity to 30 MMcf/d and includes debottlenecking, improved metering, enhanced condensate separation and the addition of a stand-alone gas-powered electricity supply, the release said. Phase 2 will be completed in the fourth quarter and is designed to increase the flexibility of the plant by adding compression and a low pressure gas train.

Well E-301 began production from the A2 carbonate reservoir in early January 2014 and was followed by well E-302 in March. Average production from the two wells in second-quarter 2014 was 10.6 MMcf/d, with 18 bbl/d of condensate, the release said. The plant upgrade has doubled the condensate yield from the production stream.

Drilling of well E-303, targeting the underlying G7-G12 sandstone reservoirs, has just been completed at a total depth of 4,406 m (14,455 ft), and is now being tested, the company added. Results are expected in due course.