Page 21 - AfrOil Week 01 2021

AfrOil NEWS IN BRIEF AfrOil

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Total enters new operated

exploration permit in Egypt

An international consortium led by Total
(Total 35% Operator, Shell 30%, KUFPEC 25%,
Tharwa 10%) and Egyptian Natural Gas Holding
Co. (EGAS) have signed an exploration and pro-
duction agreement for the North Ras Kanayis
Offshore block located in the Herodotus Basin
offshore Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea.
This exploration block covers an area of 4,550
square km, extending from 5 to 150 km from
the shore, with water depths ranging from 50 to
3,200 metres. The Herodotus Basin is an under-
explored area and the agreement includes a 3D
seismic campaign during the first three years. day (bpd) of oil to Eni’s gross production in the our local employees and contractors and signif-
‘‘Total is pleased to further strengthen its Western Desert of Egypt. icant support from the Namibian national and
Eastern Mediterranean position as an operator Eni’s successful implementation of its infra- regional governments,” stated CEO Scot Evans.
of this exploration and production agreement’’, structure-led exploration strategy in the Western Drilling of the 6-2 well is scheduled to take
commented Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice Desert through AGIBA, a joint venture between place the first part of January 2021. This well
President Exploration at Total. “We are excited Eni and Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. is the first of a three well drilling programme
by the exploration potential of the North Ras (EGPC), allows a quick valorisation of these new intended to confirm an active, Permian-aged
Kanayis Offshore block. It reinforces our pres- resources. petroleum system in this deep basin. The wells
ence in Egypt, following a gas discovery made in Eni, through its subsidiary Ieoc, holds a 38% are designed to drill through and collect impor-
July 2020 with the Bashrush well on the North interest in the Meleiha concession while Lukoil tant data on all Permian-aged rock formations.
El Hammad license, to be developed through a holds a 12% and EGPC a 50% interest. Core data and logging operations will be specif-
tie-in to nearby existing infrastructure.” Eni has been present in Egypt since 1954 ically focused on conventional oil and gas res-
Total holds a working interest of 25% in the where it is the country’s main producer. Eni’s ervoirs, which flow naturally under their own
North El Hammad license, alongside operator current equity hydrocarbon production is pressure.
Eni (37.5%) and BP (37.5%). around 320,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. ReconAfrica holds a 90% interest in a petro-
Total, January 04 2021 Eni, December 23 2020 leum exploration licence in northeast Namibia.
The exploration license, PEL 73, covers the entire
Eni announces new oil find ReconAfrica preparing to Kavango sedimentary basin, an area of approxi-
mately 25,341.33 square km (6.3mn acres), and
in Egypt’s Western Desert drill in deep Kavango Basin based on commercial success, it entitles Recon-
Africa to obtain a 25 year production licence.
Eni has announced a new oil discovery at the Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) The Kavango Basin offers both large scale con-
Meleiha Concession in the Western Desert of has provided an operations update as the Com- ventional and non-conventional play types.
Egypt. The discovery was achieved through the pany prepares to drill in the deep Kavango Basin Also, ReconAfrica holds a 100% interest in a
Arcadia 9 well, drilled on the Arcadia South in the Kalahari Desert of north-east Namibia petroleum licence, PEL 001/2020, in north-west
structure, which is located 1.5 km south of the and north-west Botswana. Botswana that comprises an area of approxi-
main Arcadia field already in production. The Operations: The well-site for the first well mately 9,921 square km (2.45mn acres) and is
well encountered 85 feet (25.91 metres) of oil (6-2) in the Kavango basin and the associated contiguous to the Namibian licence. The two
column in the Cretaceous sandstones of the camp were completed, on schedule, in mid-De- licences together comprise 35,262.33 square km
Alam El Bueib 3G formation. The well has been cember. Utilising a smaller local rig, the initial (8.75mn acres).
drilled close to existing production facilities and leg of the well-bore has been drilled, with the ReconAfrica, December 21 2020
is already tied-in to production, with a stabilised first casing string set and cemented. The Com-
rate of 5,500 barrels of oil per day. pany owned Crown 1,000 HP drilling rig (Jar-
Following the discovery, two development vie-1), along with ancillary equipment and spare MIDSTREAM
wells, Arcadia 10 and Arcadia 11, have been parts, were successfully shipped from the Port of
drilled back to back. The first one encountered Houston and arrived on schedule, in the Port of United Oil & Gas announces
25 feet (7.62 metres) of oil column and the sec- Walvis Bay December 11 2020. The majority of
ond one 80 feet (24.4 metres), within the Alam drilling equipment has now arrived on the 6-2 completion of ASH gas
El Bueib 3G formation. The three wells share the well site.
same oil-water contact in the discovered reser- “Due to the additional logistical challenges pipeline
voir. Arcadia 11 also encountered 20 feet (6.1 presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the
metres) of oil pay in the overlying Alam El Bueib Company’s successful operations have required AIM-listed United Oil & Gas has announced the
3D formation. an especially strong and dedicated effort from completion of the ASH gas pipeline in the Abu
The new discovery adds 10,000 barrels per the ReconAfrica team, hard work on behalf of Sennan Licence, Egypt.

Week 01 06•January•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P21