By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 7 -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp. reported the latest in a string of major deepwater natural gas discoveries off Mozambique. The Tubarao discovery well encountered more than 110 net ft of gas pay and no water in a high-quality Eocene-age reservoir that is separate and distinct from the hydrocarbon accumulations in Anadarko's three previous discoveries in the Offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma basin.
The Tubarao well was drilled to a total depth of 13,900 ft in 2,950 ft of water 18 miles offshore. The partnership plans to preserve the wellbore at Tubarao for potential utilization in future testing. Once operations are complete, the partnership plans to mobilize the rig to the previously announced Windjammer discovery, 26 miles northeast of Tubarao, to begin a coring program that will be followed by appraisal drilling in the Windjammer, Barquentine, Lagosta complex.
“The discovery at the Tubarao prospect opens an entirely new play style, which has additional opportunities in Mozambique's Offshore Area 1,” said Bob Daniels, Anadarko senior vice-president, worldwide exploration. “This is our fourth significant discovery in the offshore Rovuma basin and further strengthens our confidence in our geologic and geophysical models of the basin. Our seismic imaging indicates Tubarao's areal extent could cover about 15,000 acres that will be better defined with appraisal drilling. In addition, we continue to safely enhance our drilling efficiencies, procedures, and methodology in Mozambique, as we drilled this well in half the time of our first exploration wells.”
Anadarko is operator of the 2.6-million-acre Offshore Area 1 with a 36.5% working interest. Partners in the area are Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area 1 Ltd. 20%, BPRL Ventures Mozambique BV 10%, Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Ltd. 10%, and Cove Energy Mozambique Rovuma Offshore Ltd. 8.5%. Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos EP’s 15% interest is carried through the exploration phase.
159458497 Aleksei Zakirov | Dreamstime.
Photo from Esso SAF.
