Statoil has announced that it has made its fifth gas discovery in Block 2 offshore Tanzania, along with its partner ExxonMobil
The Mronge-1 well was reportedly preceded by three high-impact gas discoveries during the first drilling phase with Tangawizi-1, Zafarani-1 and Lavani-1, and a deeper discovery in a separate reservoir in Lavani-2 in the Tanzanian Licence.
According to Statoil, the well was drilled by deep-water drillship Discoverer Americas and the site is located 21km north of the Zafarani discovery and is at 2,499 metres.
A drilling campaign over the next two years in the block was being now planned, the Norwegian oil and gas company said.
The explorers said that they found 56.6mn cubic metres to 85mn cubic metres of gas in place in the Mronge-1 well, which is 360mn to 540mn barrels of oil equivalent.
This brought their total gas resources in place in the licence to 481mn to 566mn cubic metres or 3.06bn to 3.6bn boe, they added.
Statoil said that the well discovered gas at two separate levels, with the main accumulation at the same stratigraphic level as proven in the Zafarani-1 well. The Zafarani-1 well was drilled in 2012 and was a play opener for the block, it added.
Nick Maden, senior vice-president for Statoil’s exploration activities in the Western hemisphere, said, “We have initiated a new and ambitious drilling campaign offshore Tanzania following four successful discoveries during the first drilling phase.
“The Mronge-1 well discovered additional gas volumes and furthers the potential for a natural gas development in Tanzania. The new drilling programme also allows us to fully explore the remaining exploration potential in Block 2.”
Operator Statoil owns a 65 per cent stake in Block 2 while ExxonMobil holds the remaining 35 per cent.
