An Exxon Corp. affiliate has signed a production sharing contract (PSC) to explore a partly deepwater tract off the Congo.
Esso Exploration & Production Congo Ltd.'s PSC adds to the parent's growing West Africa portfolio (see map) while it expands the burgeoning deepwater exploration play in that region.
Esso Congo will explore and operate the 3,850 sq km Mer Profonde Nord block, 80-120 km off the Congo in 200-2,000 m of water.
Exxon affiliate interests in the Congo include a 15% interest in the 1,100 sq km Marine IX permit and a 30% interest in the 3,830 sq km Mer Profonde Sud license, which the company acquired in July.
Exxon's West Africa interests
Exxon's acreage position in deepwater West Africa covers 9 million acres over 13 blocks off Angola, Nigeria, and the Congo, including the latest PSC award. The company operates three of these blocks, one each off the Congo, Angola, and Nigeria.
Exxon affiliates have participated in two discoveries disclosed to date in the region: Girassol on Block 17 and 1 Bengo on Block 16, both off Angola.
The Girassol wildcat flowed oil on production test at a rate of more than 2,800 b/d in the first quarter. Elf Exploration Angola is operator of this find, with Exxon holding a 20% interest.
In late 1994, the Bengo wildcat yielded oil on test at a rate of 1,780 b/d. Here, Shell Exploration & Production Angola BV is operator, and Exxon holds a 20% interest.
Onshore interests
Exxon also holds significant interests in some onshore West Africa plays.
In Chad, development plans are under study for a 1 billion bbl oil resource where Exxon is operator and could include a major oil pipeline to the Cameroon coast.
In Niger, Exxon has an 80% interest in and is operator of the 6.8 million acre Agadem permit in the southeastern corner of the country.
Copyright 1996 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
![Exxon's Offshore West Africa Acerage [44218 bytes]](http://images.pennwellnet.com/ogj/images/ogj/635nco.gif){kind=link}