A noncommercial gas and condensate discovery offshore Morocco establishes exploratory potential of the frontier Laayoune basin, reports operator Kosmos Energy.
The CB-1 well on the 22,000-sq-km Cap Boujdour permit cut 14 m of net hydrocarbon pay in clastic reservoirs in a gross hydrocarbon-bearing interval of about 500 m. It will be abandoned.
Situated 170 km offshore in 2,135 m of water, the well was drilled to a total depth of 5,700 m at a net cost to Kosmos of $85 million.
“While not a commercial find, this first well in the basin has significantly derisked further exploration by demonstrating a working petroleum system, including the presence of a hydrocarbon charge, as well as effective trap and seal,” explained Andrew G. Inglis, Kosmos chairman and chief executive officer.
Inglis said the Cap Boujdour block includes “a diverse range of independent plays and fairways with multiple prospects.”
He said, “We will analyze the information gathered from CB-1 and integrate it with the additional 3D seismic data we recently acquired to refine our exploration plan, including deciding on the location and timing of a potential second well.”
The Atwood Achiever drillship will now move to Mauritania to test the Tortue prospect, which has estimated resources of 2 billion boe recoverable across both Mauritania and Senegal (OGJ Online, Feb. 4, 2015).
Kosmos operates the Cap Boujdour license with 55% interest. The company has held exploration rights in the permit area since 2006 under a petroleum agreement with Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM).
Partners are ONHYM 25% and Cairn Energy PLC’s wholly owned subsidiary Capricorn Exploration & Development Co. Ltd. 20% (OGJ Online, Oct. 28, 2013).
