Aminex PLC will run 7-in. liner to total depth and deepen an indicated gas discovery on the Ruvuma block in the Ruvuma basin onshore Tanzania.
The Ntorya-1 well had strong gas shows in a good-quality Cretaceous reservoir sand at 2,660 m. Logs show a 25-m gross interval at 2,660-85 m with a 3-m net gas-bearing pay zone in sandstones with 20% porosity at the top and a 16.5-m thick lower sandstone interval with further possible gas pay.
“Proving the presence of reservoired hydrocarbons in Cretaceous sands in Ntorya-1 opens up the potential for additional plays in thick Mesozoic sands encountered by Aminex and partners in the Likonde-1 well just 14 km north of the Ntorya-1 well,” Aminex said.
Aminex plans to run 7-in. liner to total depth and deepen the well 250 m to investigate a prominent seismic event at 3,000 m. Having previously logged oil shows in Likonde-1 drilled in 2010, drilling to deeper targets offers the possibility of finding liquid hydrocarbons, the company said.
Aminex will suspend the deepened Ntorya-1 for testing at a later date. The company noted giant gas discoveries in the basin off Mozambique and Tanzania and plans by other operators to develop major gas infrastructure on the Tanzanian coast 25 km from Ntorya-1.
Participants in the discovery and deepening of the well below 2,500 m are Aminex’s Ndovu Resources Ltd. operator with 75% interest and Solo Oil PLC 25%.
