General Interest Busy year predicted for West African E&P

New Oil Production Expected Off West Africa In 1996 [42134 bytes]

The pace of activity in all of West Africa's offshore exploration and production sectors will be brisk this year.

Exploration and appraisal drilling will increase from last year's level, and field development projects will get under way.

Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd., Edinburgh, predicts this year's rise in activity will be based on a relatively successful year in 1995.

The firm said drilling activity in 1995 increased to 35 wells, including 24 wildcats, up from only 22 wells in 1994 and 25 in 1993. The rise will continue in 1996, with drilling of 40-50 wells.

1995 discoveries

Although only five commercial discoveries were drilled off West Africa last year, Wood Mackenzie said the considerable size of the Moho and Zafiro strikes will further encourage the continuing rise in activity.

Total estimated reserves for West Africa's 1995 discoveries were 441 million bbl of oil, with Moho and Zafiro estimated at a combined 405 million bbl.

Elf Congo's Moho discovery is in 800 m of water on the Haute Mer block off Congo. It is West Africa's deepest water discovery to date. Moho reserves are estimated at 300 million bbl of oil.

Mobil Oil Corp.'s Zafiro discovery in Block B off Equatorial Guinea lies in 193 m of water. Wood Mackenzie said the strike holds estimated reserves of 105 million bbl of oil with "further upside potential of perhaps 50-100 million bbl."

Mobil has begun development of Zafiro with a leased oil production, storage, and offloading vessel to be named Zafiro Producer. It is due on stream in the third quarter of this year.

Chevron Corp. drilled its Northeast Numbi discovery in Cabinda Area A off Angola, 2 km from the Numbi A and C platforms. Chevron plans to drill three deviated production wells from the C platform and a water injection well from the A platform.

Marathon Oil Co. plans to begin appraisal of its Tchatamba discovery on the Kowe Marin block off Gabon early this year. Tchatamba holds "tentative" estimated reserves of 15 million bbl of oil.

Elf Serepca scored its South Asoma discovery off Cameroon with an extended reach well drilled from its Asoma Central ACF-2 platform. Wood Mackenzie said the find is very small, with estimated reserves of 500,000 to 1 million bbl of oil, but it is commercial because it can be placed on stream easily from the platform.

Wood Mackenzie expects 15 fields to go on stream this year off West Africa.

Eight of this year's 40-50 wells expected by Wood Mackenzie will be appraisal wells, while a further 35-45 exploration and appraisal wells are expected to be drilled off West Africa in 1997.

Deepwater exploration will increase considerably off Angola this year, said Wood Mackenzie. Exxon Corp., Royal Dutch/Shell, and Elf have commitment wells still to be drilled from last year.

Wood Mackenzie said, "Total exploration and appraisal wells for Angola could rise to 16 or 17 in 1996 with only one appraisal, if all commitment wells are drilled on time. Drilling levels for Angola in 1997 are difficult to predict, due to the large number of licenses that come up for renewal this year."

The analyst expects 10 wildcats and three appraisals off Gabon this year, mainly commitment wells. A similar number is predicted for 1997.

Four wells are anticipated off Congo this year and six in 1997. Similarly, Cameroon will see four wells drilled this year and three or four in 1997, while two or three wells are anticipated off Namibia this year and two off Zaire.

Exploration off Equatorial Guinea is to involve a Mobil wildcat on the Topacio prospect south-southeast of Zafiro, along with a deepwater well by Mobil on Block B. Also, Nomeco is expected to drill one well on the Alba block this year.