RELATED ARTICLESFebruary 2010 - Nigeria: Shell has had enoughDecember 2009 - A string of large and medium-sized oil discoveries in the GOM's deep waters are attracting risk-averse explorers to this technically difficult region, writes Anne FeltusNovember 2009 - Petrobras is showcasing an array of subsea technologies, hoping to reassure investors that it can meet the operational hurdles presented by Brazil's pre-salt resources, writes Conal WalshOctober 2009
Africa
Algeria Total expects to start production from its Timimoun gas project in 2013, following development approval from the ministry of energy and mines' licensing agency, Alnaft, last month. Timimoun, in the southwest of the country, will flow 1.6bn cm/y at plateau from eight structures tapped by around 40 wells, with gas flowing into a Sonatrachpipeline running to the Hassi R'Mel hub. Interests are Total, 37.75%, Sonatrach 51%, and Cepsa, 11.25%. The development is to be operated jointly by the three companies while Sonatrach will market the gas. Petroceltic (75%) and Sonatrach (25%) have made a gas discovery in the Isarene permit, covering Blocks 228 and 229a of the Illizi basin. The AT-1 well flowed up to 323,000 cm/d on test, with some condensate, and was completed for possible use as a producer. Angola BP made its 19th discovery in ultra deep-water Block 31 last month, with the Tebe-1 well in 1,752 metres of water. The firm said the well would flow 5,000 b/d in production conditions. Tebe is in the southern part of the block, where there are nine finds in a 15 km radius from Tebe. A multi-field development is planned for the southern finds, to follow PSVM – due on stream in 2012 – in the north. Interests in Block 31 are BP, 26.67%, ExxonMobil, 25.0%, state-owned Sonangol, 20.0%, StatoilHydro, 13.33%, Marathon, 10.0%, and Total, 5.0%. Ghana Kosmos has confirmed that it agreed to sell its 23.4913% share in the deep-water Jubilee field to ExxonMobil, for an estimated $4bn – but state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) says it still wants to buy the stake itself. China's CNOOC has also been negotiating and officials visited the country's president recently to sign an agreement covering financial and technical support for exploration, leading to speculation of a joint bid by GNPC and CNOOC. However, Kosmos said its agreement with ExxonMobil was exclusive and binding. The sale includes Kosmos' interests in the non-unitised parts of the two licences in which Jubilee lies – 30.875% of West Cape Three Points and 18.0% of Deepwater Tano. US firm Sabre's 2.8127% share in Jubilee is also for sale (PE 8/09 p29). The known area of the Jubilee field was extended eastward, apparently substantially, last month by the Mahogany-4 well. The well, drilled over 3 km east of previous wells, found a net 15 metres of oil-zone at the level of the Jubilee reservoirs together with 8 metres at known deeper reservoirs, but also 20 metres in a new deep reservoir. A well appraising the field's southern extent is due to reach target depth in November. Eni has bought a majority share in two licences adjacent to the Jubilee field from Vitol, which made a gas and oil discovery in September, and will take over as operator. Interests in the Offshore Cape Three Points and Offshore Cape Three Points South licences become Eni, 47.22%, Vitol, 37.78% and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), 15.0%. Vitol made the discovery, Sankofa-1, in the Offshore Cape Three Points licence in which it had 90%, with GNPC holding 10%. Sankofa lies just 38 km east of Jubilee and was found with the first well. Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has selected its partners to exploit the Jubilee field's gas resources, from over 50 bids. Nigeria's Oando, described as the lead developer, Saipemand Japan's Modec-Itochuwill form a venture with GNPC. The group is to land the gas to an onshore processing facility, where LPG and condensate will be extracted. Gas will be supplied to existing power stations at Effasu and Takoradi, and there are plans for exports. Start-up is to coincide with Jubilee's first oil, which is still officially targeted for late 2010, but is likely to be the following year. Guinea Hyperdynamics, a US company with an exploration licence covering 31,000 square miles of the offshore, extending out from the country's entire coast, is to start exploration work. The firm says it will fund the work through a farm-out agreement due to be completed with an unspecified company in the fourth-quarter. A memorandum of understanding signed with the government reaffirms the validity of the licence, Hyperdynamics says, but requires it to relinquish 64% of the area by the end of the year. Norway's Bergen Oilfield Serviceswas due to start a 2-D seismic survey last month, on the basis of an up-front payment of $0.5m and an issue of Hyperdynamics shares as a deposit, while TDI-Brooks was due to start a study of oil seeps. Hyperdynamics says it plans to shoot 3-D seismic in its retained area next year. Ivory Coast The US' Anadarko had a disappointment with its South Grand Lahou-1 well, drilled in 1,876 metres of water by the Belford Dolphin, which was water-bearing. Interests in the CI-105 licence are Anadarko, 50.0%, Tullow Oil, 22.368%, Thani, 12.632%, and state-owned Petroci, 15% (of which 10% is carried). Nigeria China National Offshore Oil Corporation has been talking with the government about taking over up to 23 licences held by Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil. Most of the licences, which are under negotiation for renewal, cover shallow-water areas held by joint ventures with state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, but five are production-sharing contracts covering deep-water areas. Afren has started development drilling at the Ebok shallow-water field, which it is financing under an agreement with Oriental. The first two wells will appraise the western and southern parts of the structure, then six horizontal production wells will be drilled. Afren says the field is on-target to start production at 15,000 b/d in the first half of 2010. Shell is going ahead with the development of the Bonga Northwest field, to be a subsea tie-back to the Bonga field's FPSO. Bonga Northwest, lying in 900 metres-1,200 metres of water, will have 12 wells. Saipemwas awarded a $200m contract covering pipe-in-pipe flowlines, water-injection lines and umbilicals, which it will install by fourth-quarter 2013. Sudan (southern) The southern government has launched a plan to construct a 50,000 b/d refinery at Akon, Warrup state, to process crude from fields in Block 5A. Behind the plan is the referendum, due in January 2011, on whether the south should become an independent state – oil from the southern fields is piped to the north for export and to supply refineries at Khartoum and Port Sudan. Uganda Tullow Oil was due to open a data room last month for bidders for interests in itsLake Albert oil discoveries. The company is offering interests in all three of the licences with discoveries – Block 2, held 100% by Tullow, and Blocks 1 and 3A where Heritageoperates for a 50:50 partnership with Tullow. Separately, local reports quoted Aidan Heavey, Tullow's chief executive, as saying that constructing a refinery in the country – as favoured by the government – made "common sense". The country's president was quoted as saying the companies had agreed to the plan, for which a Norwegian government-funded feasibility study is being carried out. The UK's Tower Resources has revised its assessment of the Iti-1 well, which it described in June as "very disappointing" with no producible reservoir sands. Independent analysis of cuttings showed 15-20 metres of clean reservoir sands with good porosity and permeability, the company said, while samples showed oil traces. Tower plans to drill another well into the structure, after drilling its second commitment exploration well. Iti lies in Block 5 which, after the completion of farm-in work, will be held by a 50:50 partnership between Tower and Global Petroleum.
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