Ophir Energy has confirmed a 133 mmboe gas discovery at the Tonel-1 (R-4) well in Block R, Equatorial Guinea
The company confirmed that a 182-metre gas bearing column was encountered containing a total 117 metres of net pay in mid-Miocene aged sands within a thrust belt anticline.
According to the company, the gas quality appears to be consistent with what it observed in previous dry gas discoveries in Block R and the gross in place mean resources for the Tonel-1 (R-4) discovery has been estimated at 177 mmboe, with gross recoverable mean resources estimated at 133 mmboe, exceeding pre-drill estimates of 118 mmboe.
Ophir CEO Nick Cooper said, “We are very pleased to announce our third major discovery of 2012.
“Tonel represents the fifth and largest gas discovery on Block R to date and importantly represents a significant step towards the commercial threshold volumes required for a second train of LNG from
Tonel, the first of three Ophir-operated wells in the company’s 2012 Block R drilling campaign was drilled by the Eirik Raude semi-submersible rig, which Cooper confirmed would now return to the within the vicinity of the company’s earlier Fortuna-1 (R-2) gas discovery.
Both the Fortuna East-1 and Fortuna West-1 wells have been designed to appraise 101 mmboe of the Fortuna Fan discovery and, according to Cooper, to target additional cumulative exploration volumes of 139 mmboe.
“The three-well campaign is due to complete by September,” Cooper added.
