Statoil ASA and ExxonMobil Corp. have added a second large gas discovery offshore southern Tanzania and estimate the combined resource at as much as 9 tcf of gas in place.
Statoil operated Block 2 now contains the Lavani and Zafarani discoveries. Lavani, 16 km south of Zafarano, found 95 m of excellent quality reservoir sandstone with high porosity and permeability and holds an estimated 3 tcf of gas in place.
At Zafarani, Statoil has drilled a sidetrack that added 1 tcf of gas in place to its February estimate of as much as 5 tcf in the initial wellbore (OGJ Online, Feb. 24, 2012). Tim Dodson, executive vice-president for exploration, said, “The results so far mark an important step towards a possible natural gas development in Tanzania.”
Lavani is in 2,400 m of water on Block 2, which covers 5,500 sq km. Statoil operates Block 2 on behalf of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corp. and has a 65% working interest, with ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Ltd. holding 35%. Statoil has been in Tanzania since 2007, when it was awarded the licence for Block 2.
