Lukoil Overseas said its first exploratory well offshore Sierra Leone went to a total depth of more than 4,700 m and that the company identified oil-saturated reservoirs and took oil samples from Turonian sands.
Press reports quoted a government source as having said the well encountered “light oil” on the Savannah structure in more than 2,000 m of water on the SL-5-11 block.
“The set objectives were achieved: targeted prospects were penetrated, oil saturated reservoirs were identified; oil samples were taken from the Turonian sands,” Lukoil Overseas said, adding that the company will complete its analysis by yearend.
The current well was the only one required under the block’s 30-year production-sharing agreement, and the company didn’t say whether it foresees further drilling (OGJ Online, Sept. 17, 2013).
Lukoil Overseas is operator of the 4,022 sq km block in the Sierra Leone-Liberia basin with a 49% interest. Oranto Petroleum Ltd. of Nigeria has 30% interest and PanAtlantic Exploration Co., Houston, 21%.