Bowleven confirms deep Douala oil off Cameroon

Oct. 14, 2011
Bowleven PLC, Edinburgh, will deepen its Sapele-3 exploratory well off Cameroon through the Deep Omicron formation after it encountered oil in the Upper and Middle Omicron intervals.

Bowleven PLC, Edinburgh, will deepen its Sapele-3 exploratory well off Cameroon through the Deep Omicron formation after it encountered oil in the Upper and Middle Omicron intervals.

The well intersected 11 m of independently assessed net hydrocarbon pay in Upper Deep Omicron interval. A further 11 m of net sand in Middle Deep Omicron with permeability as high as 500 md is interpreted as having either a high residual hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon-bearing response from logs and requires further evaluation as to whether it represents pay.

The Middle interval is the lateral equivalent to a 65-ft water-bearing sand interval in the company’s Sapele-1 well 16 km southeast (OGJ Online, June 9, 2011).

Bowleven said the findings at Sapele-3 “extends the currently mapped Deep Omicron fairway significantly northwards into MLHP-6. Consequently, a significant increase in current Deep Omicron in-place volumetrics is anticipated.”

All four of the company's wells on the MLHP-5 block of the 2,316 sq km Etinde Permit have encountered oil in the Deep Omicron interval. Sapele-3 is two thirds through the Deep Omicron and will be deepened to the base of Deep Omicron, Bowleven said without giving the current depth.

Sapele-3 previously encountered a 7-m high-quality sandstone in the Miocene D1-r interval with a 1-m gas-condensate column that Bowleven said warrants further evaluation. The well is in 30 m of water.

Bowleven drilled Sapele-3 at its sole risk after its permit partner Vitol E&P Ltd. chose not to participate.