By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Dec. 2 - A group led by Woodside Mauritania Pty. Ltd. appears to have another discovery on the West African margin off Mauritania.
Wireline logs indicated a 49.5-m gross gas column overlying a 38.5-m gross oil column at the Chinguetti 4-6 exploration well on the Tiof prospect on Mauritania Area B, Block 4.
Woodwide drilled the well to 2,870 m in 1,080 m of water 90 km west of Nouakchott and 25 km north of the Chinguetti oil discovery, said Roc Oil Co. Ltd., Sydney, which has a 2.4% interest in the Area B production sharing contract.
"The hydrocarbon bearing zone overlies a gross 73-m interval containing poor quality sands in which it has not been possible to demonstrate the presence of oil," Roc Oil said. "Water bearing sandstones have been confirmed below the 73-m interval."
More drilling is needed to determine the extent of the hydrocarbon-bearing column, Roc Oil said.
Other Area B interest holders are Woodside and AGIP Mauritania BV 35% each, Hardman Resources Ltd. 21.6%, and Fusion Mauritania B Ltd. 6%.
Meanwhile, Woodside spudded the Chinguetti 5-1 (Poune) exploration well on Dec. 1 in 926 m of water in Block 5 of Area B 48 km north of Chinguetti and 27 km northeast of Tiof.
Woodside, as drilling manager, spudded an exploration well projected to 3,800 m or Paleocene sands on the Pelican prospect on Block 7. Drill site for the rank wildcat is in 1,679 m of water 150 km north of Chinguetti. Paleocene sands have not been targeted previously in the region.
The Block 7 group includes Dana Petroleum E&P Ltd., operator, 80%, Hardman 18%, and Roc Oil 2% plus a 3.5% option.
