Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola (Sonangol) and Total E&P Angola, a wholly owned subsidiary of Total, announce two new oil discoveries with the tenth and eleventh exploration wells drilled on Block 32 in the ultra deep waters of the Angolan offshore.
Drilled in a water depth of 1,594 metres, the Cominhos-1 well encountered Upper and Lower Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. The well was tested from a selected Lower Oligocene interval and produced at a rate of 6,258 barrels per day of oil 32°API. This discovery is located in the north-eastern part of Block 32, approximately 18 kilometres north of the Caril-1, discovery made in 2006.
Drilled in a water depth of 1,806 metres, the Louro-1 well found both Miocene and Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. This discovery is located in the Southern part of Block 32, approximately 4.5 kilometres west of the Salsa-1 discovery made in 2006.
Complementary technical studies are being carried out to fully evaluate these promising drilling results, and further exploration drilling is underway or planned across the block.
Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 32. Total E&P Angola (Block 32) Limited holds a 30% interest as Operator. Other partners in Block 32 are Marathon Oil Company (30%), Sonangol E.P. (20%), Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited (15%) and Petrogal (5%).
Ultra-deep exploration work conducted in 2005 and 2006 confirmed the potential of Block 32. After the discoveries of Gindungo in 2003, Canela and Cola in 2004, Gengibre and Mostarda drilled in 2005, Salsa, Caril and Manjericão drilled in 2006, the positive results from Louro and Cominhos confirmed the major potential of the Block. Conceptual development studies gathering the Gindungo, Canela and Gengibre discoveries were initiated in 2005 in order to exploit these discoveries in a production zone, in the central eastern part of the block. Studies will be initiated to evaluate the development potential of the other discoveries.
