Masirah Oil Starts Yumna Offshore Drilling Ops After Months of Delays
October 21, 2026
Masirah Oil has started operations on the first well of its infill drilling campaign at the Yumna oil field offshore Oman, following several delays to the development program earlier in 2026.
The company announced the start of operations on October 21, with production from the new well expected to begin in November 2026.
"We expect production from the new well to start in November 2026," said Mike Hopkinson, General Manager of Masirah Oil.
The drilling campaign is intended to increase oil production and extend the productive life of the Yumna field, located in offshore Block 50.
The program had previously been scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 before being pushed back to May. In June, Masirah Oil said the start date would be revised again without providing a new timetable.
The original development program comprised three production wells, with the company seeking to boost output and reserves from the offshore field.
In December 2025, Jasmine Energy, a subsidiary of Rex International Holding and the indirect 87.5% owner of Masirah Oil, raised $25 million through a bond issue to finance the drilling campaign and support operations at Yumna.
Masirah Oil had also contracted Northern Offshore's Energy Emerger jack-up rig for the drilling program. The rig previously worked on the Yumna field during a 2024 campaign.
In August 2026, Saudi Arabian drilling contractor Arabian Drilling announced a contract with Masirah Oil and Northern Offshore covering two firm wells and two optional wells in Oman.
The agreement marked Arabian Drilling's entry into another Gulf Cooperation Council market, with the contractor initially expecting operations to begin before the end of the third quarter of 2026.
Masirah Oil operates Block 50 and holds a 100% interest in the license.
