Ivory Coast: African Petroleum awarded second block

Ivory Coast awarded African Petroleum Corp. Ltd., Perth, an exploration permit on Block CI-509 in the Gulf of Guinea.

African Petroleum is operator of the 1,091 sq km block with 90% interest, and Ivory Coast’s state Petroci has 10%. African Petroleum was awarded Block CI-513 in December 2011.

The company said its exploration program will target deepwater Upper Cretaceous submarine fans that are considered to have similar potential to discoveries off Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. It plans to shoot 3D seismic on the blocks starting in mid-April.

African Petroleum holds licenses on the Rufisque Offshore Profond and Senegal Offshore Sud Profond blocks totaling 18,277 sq km offshore Senegal, where it is operator with 90% interest and state Petrosen has 10%. A 3D seismic shoot is under way there.

The company has shot 5,100 sq km of 3D seismic on blocks LB-08 and LB-09 off Liberia, where it holds 100% interest and has made the Narina-1 discovery on LB-09. And it has shot 2,500 sq km of 3D seismic on blocks A1 and A4 off Gambia where it holds 60% interest with its partner Buried Hill Gambia BV.