London-listed Genel said first gas from the Summail-1 discovery well on the Dohuk block in north-western Iraqi Kurdistan is on course for January next year.
A second well, Summail-2, is set to spud in the fourth quarter with Summail-3 starting in 2014, 40% interest holder Genel said on Wednesday.
The gas sales deal penned with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the capital Erbil on Wednesday will see initial flows of 100 million cubic feet per day sold on a take-or-pay basis.
