Statoil pegs Tanzania Block 2 resource at up to 9 tcf

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.
June 14, 2012

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.

About the Author

Alan Petzet

Alan Petzet

Chief Editor Exploration

Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.

Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.

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