Page 10 - AfrOil Week 24 2021

AfrOil POLICY AfrOil

“We have capabilities to have mini-LNG where support the Nigerian government’s efforts to
it can be transported to any [location],” he said. promote the domestic utilisation, consumption
“With that strategy, energy security for this and commercialisation of natural and associated
country [can be] achieved through the virtual gas.
pipelines.” Abuja has dubbed the 2021-2030 period the
Auwalu did not comment on the cost of the “decade of gas,” and the country is now work-
micro-LNG initiative or say how much gas the ing to increase its reserves, develop new fields,
trucks might be able to deliver to consumers. expand infrastructure and reduce flaring, he
Nor did he specify when gas might begin arriv- stated.
ing at the local distribution centres within the Success on this front is expected to create
framework of this programme. new jobs while also contributing to economic
However, he did state that the project would growth, he added. ™

PROJECTS & COMPANIES
Zenith prepares to drill ROB-3 well

TUNISIA CALGARY-BASED Zenith Energy is gearing for drilling ROB-3 might already be on location
up to begin work on an infill vertical well at greatly assists us in terms of timeline, as this will
Robbana, a newly acquired onshore concession put us in a very good position towards begin-
in Tunisia. ning operations as early as July or August 2021.”
In a statement, Zenith said it was finalising Cattaneo also commented on the financial
preparations for drilling ROB-3 at a site near standing of the project, saying: “I am pleased to
ROB-1, an existing development well that is confirm that we are fully funded for ROB-3, and
already yielding about 25 barrels per day (bpd) we expect the increased production revenue to
of oil from proven reservoirs in the Creta- be obtained in the event of a successful result will
ceous-era Upper Meloussi formation. The new further strengthen our cash position and fund
well is due to be sunk to a total depth of 2,400 additional development activities.”
metres and will target two of the same reservoirs, Zenith acquired a 100% stake in Robbana
it reported. earlier this year, when its fully owned subsidi-
Zenith said it would need about 60 days to ary Compagnie du Desert (CDD) took control
drill ROB-3, which is expected to yield about of Ecumed Petroleum Tunisia (EPT), a subsid-
100-150 bpd. The cost of drilling will amount to iary of Barbados-based Candax Energy. The
around $1.5mn, it added. deal also gave Zenith a 100% stake in El Bibane,
The company went on to say that its newly another concession in Tunisia. ™
appointed technical team in Tunisia was in the
process of reviewing the drilling programme
formulated by the former operator of Robbana.
The team will have to make some adjustments to
this programme but expects to finalise it soon, it
said, without elaborating.
In the meantime, Zenith is also working
to verify reports that all of the long-lead items
needed to sink the new well have already been
acquired and delivered to the drilling site. It is
also inspecting and evaluating the items at the
site in order to determine whether they are in
good working conditions and can meet the rel-
evant standards. If everything is in order, it will
wrap up ongoing negotiations with local drilling
contractors to secure a rig for the project.
According to Andrea Cattaneo, the CEO of
Zenith, the company is now on track to spud
ROB-3 in the near future. “We are delighted
to commence our operational journey in
Tunisia with the drilling of a new well in our
newly acquired assets, in which we progres-
sively expect to make increasing investments
as we seek to increase production against a very
favourable backdrop of strong oil prices,” he
said. “The fact that the required long-lead items Robbana was formerly operated by Ecumed (Photo: Zenith Energy )

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 24 16•June•2021