Tanzania

Ophir Energy PLC and BG International, without giving well details, reported a “significant gas discovery” at the Chewa-1 exploratory well in the Mafia basin off southern Tanzania.

Dec. 1, 2010

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Dec. 1 – Ophir Energy PLC and BG International, without giving well details, reported a “significant gas discovery” at the Chewa-1 exploratory well in the Mafia basin off southern Tanzania.

The well, drilled to an undisclosed depth 80 km off the Tanzanian coast in 1,315 m of water, is the pair’s second find on Block 4 after the Pweza-1 well found gas (OGJ Online, Oct. 22, 2010). Pweza is Tanzania’s first deepwater hydrocarbon discovery.

Ophir Energy said it has calibrated the seismic response from two separate hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir intervals and will use the information to “more fully evaluate the potential of this exciting new hydrocarbon province.”

Ophir Energy and BG own 40% and 60% interests, respectively, in blocks 1, 3, and 4 totaling more than 27,000 sq km in 100 to more than 3,000 m of water in the Mafia basin and northern Ruvuma basin. The blocks lie seaward of and between shallow-water Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay gas fields.

Upon completion of the three-well initial work program, which also includes shooting 4,000 sq km of 3D seismic, BG has the option to assume operatorship of the three blocks.