Multipay Douala oil find indicated off Cameroon

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 19 -- Bowleven PLC, Edinburgh, is deepening an exploratory well in the Douala basin off Cameroon that has already indicated pay in two Miocene reservoirs.

Sapele-1, in 20 m of water on MLHP-5, southernmost block of the 2,316 sq km Etinde permit, had been drilled to 3,360 m by early November and is expected to reach final depth of 4,450 m in Cretaceous in December.

Wireline logs and pressure data indicate that the well encountered light oil and gas-condensate in 15-20 m of net pay with 16% average porosity in a 106-m gross interval of moderate-quality Lower Omicron reservoir units and oil in 10-15 m of net pay with 21% average porosity in a 64-m gross interval of high-quality Deep Omicron reservoir units.

Bowleven said, “This well was designed to intersect multiple stacked objectives through Miocene and Cretaceous horizons. As a result, it is believed to have penetrated the extremities of both Miocene prospects at suboptimal locations.”

The well also had indications of gas while drilling the Upper Omicron, but reservoir development was limited at this location.

Drilling was to continue through the rest of the Deep Omicron section and the deepest objectives. Bowleven noted that because it chose the drillsite to access multiple targets, the resulting locations for both the Lower and Deep Omicron objectives by necessity were greatly compromised. It is likely that sidetracks will be drilled to appraise both prospects.

Further appraisal will be required due to the stratigraphic nature of the prospects and is being planned.

Meanwhile, a prognosed cross-cut event and the Cretaceous Epsilon complex are still to be penetrated. The Cretaceous is untested in this part of the Douala basin.

Vitol E&P Ltd. in 2009 acquired an initial 25% participating interest in the three blocks in return for funding a $100 million work program. Bowleven holds 75% operated interest through its EurOil Ltd. unit. Vitol also has an option to acquire a further 10% participating interest in MLHP-7 by funding a $50 million appraisal program.

The Etinde exploration period expires at the end of 2011, and there is provision for a one-year extension to complete appraisal.