By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 19 -- Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Deepwater West Ltd. and partners have made the first oil discovery on deepwater Oil Prospecting License 214 about 70 miles off Nigeria.
The Uge-1 well, drilled to 16,831 ft TD in 4,144 ft of water, encountered more than 300 net ft of oil pay.
Uge-1 is about 90 miles south-southeast of Esso's Erha deepwater oil and gas field, which recently began production and is expected to ramp up to 150,000 b/d by the third quarter (OGJ, May 8, 2006, p. 9).
Block operator Esso, Chevron Nigeria Deepwater B Ltd., Phillips Deepwater Exploration (Nigeria) Ltd., and Oxy Nigeria Exploration & Production Ltd. each holds a 20% interest in the block. Nigerian Petroleum Development Co. holds 15%, and Sasol E&P Nigeria Ltd. holds 5%.