By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 24 – Afren PLC acquired a 74% operated working interest in the Tanga block landward of Pemba Island from Petrodel Resources Ltd. Petrodel retained 26%.
Afren will reimburse Petrodel a percentage of back costs. Afren will fund the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of an agreed 900 km seismic survey in shallow and deeper water, after which, when supported by the seismic, Afren will carry Petrodel through the drilling of one shallow water exploratory well. The cap on gross costs is $40 million.
The block adjoins Kenyan blocks L17 and L18, in which Afren holds a 100% interest. Tanga includes onshore, shallow marine, and deep marine areas. The block is covered by 200 km of legacy 2D seismic and 1,200 km of good quality new 2D seismic data covering mainly the deeper water area shot by Petrodel.
The block is well located as it includes a deep basin with a thick sedimentary section that has the potential to host several source rock intervals and reservoir/seal pairings. Potential petroleum plays recognized to date are Lower Cretaceous sands deposited in deltaic to shallow marine environments, Upper Cretaceous submarine fans, Eocene shelf sands, and Miocene fluvial and deltaic sands, Afren said.
There are structures, particularly along the western flank of the basin, that are interpreted to form viable traps. Some of these lie in shallow water and could present relatively inexpensive drilling targets.
Tanga is also a possible source of charge into the southern parts of adjacent Kenya block L18. Oil seeps and shows encountered in previous wells drilled on Pemba Island attest to the oil potential of the block and surrounding area, Afren said.
Photo from Esso SAF.
Map from Petrobras.
