JKX Oil & Gas plc confirmed that gas production from Well #27 has commenced in its Koshekhablskoye field in Adygea, Russia. The well is now flowing to the gas processing facility and production testing is under way. Reservoir response will be closely monitored before ramping up towards its production plateau.

The well was suspended after initial workover and testing at 13.1 MMcf/d on a 36/64-in choke in 2009. Mechanical problems downhole, ahead of field start-up in March 2012, led to the well having to be side-tracked and re-completed.

The Geostream KES-536 rig has now moved to Well #20 and begun a workover and re-completion operation.

JKX’s chief executive, Paul Davies, commented, "This is an important step towards achieving the planned capacity of the plant following the setbacks in putting our high-performance wells into production in the second quarter of the year."