Galp Energia continues wider Mopane discovery work in Namibia’s Orange basin
Galp Energia in March discovered ‘significant’ light oil columns in high-quality reservoir sands across exploration and appraisal targets in Blocks 2813A and 2814B in Namibia’s Orange basin.
The company had moved the drilling rig to the Mopane-2X location after the January oil discovery (Mopane-1X) at two different levels (AVO-1, AVO-2).
Mopane-2X found oil columns in AVO-3, AVO-1 and a deeper target. In particular, the Mopane-2X well found AVO-1 to be in the same pressure regime as in the Mopane-1X discovery well, around 8 km to the east, confirming its lateral extension, said Sintana Energy Inc. in a release Apr. 21.
The blocks are governed by Petroleum Exploration License 83 (PEL 83), operated by a subsidiary of Galp Energia of Portugal with 80% interest. Sintana holds an indirect 49% interest in Custos Energy (Pty) Ltd., a 10% working interest owner in PEL 83. The National Petroleum Co. of Namibia (NAMCOR) holds a 10% working interest.
The reservoirs’ log measures contain good porosities, high pressures and high permeabilities in large hydrocarbon columns. Fluid samples present very low oil viscosity and contain minimum CO2 and no H2S concentrations, Sintana said.
The flows achieved during the well test have reached the maximum allowed limits of about 14,000 boe/d, positioning Mopane potentially as an important commercial discovery. In the Mopane complex alone, and before drilling additional exploration and appraisal wells, hydrocarbon in-place estimates are 10 billion boe, or higher, the company said.
Acquired data from the Mopane drilling campaign will be analyzed and integrated into an updated reservoir model that will serve as the basis to refine the operator’s near-term drilling plan.
PEL 83 lies just north of Shell plc-operated PEL 39 where the Graff-1, La Rona-1, and Jonker-1 discoveries were made. The license also lies north and east of PEL 56 where TotalEnergies made the Venus-1 oil discovery.
