Page 17 - AfrOil Week 45 2022

AfrOil NEWS IN BRIEF AfrOil

business new africa bna/IntelliNews

ReconAfrica provides which rock surfaces dip in all four directions,
thus creating structural closure. Often forms a
update on drilling and hydrocarbon trap.
Wisdom 5-1 Well: The Company is currently
new seismic results building the access road and drilling pad for
the next programmed well, the 5-1 (previously
Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) referred to as the P 2-7) with the objective of
has announced results of the Makandina 8-2 spudding this well by mid-December. The well
well, spudding of the Wisdom 5-1 well, results of will principally test stacked plays in a different
the Phase 2 seismic programme and a new Envi- part of the Karoo Rift Basin. This drilling loca-
ronmental Compliance Certificate for up to an tion is controlled by three seismic lines which
additional 1,500 km of seismic. show that the targeted structure may extend 3
Makandina 8-2 Well: The 8-2 well which was km in the strike direction. This roll-over struc-
spud on June 25, 2022, and reached total depth ture (the target) lies in a deeper part of the rift
on August 15, 2022, has further confirmed the basin. The main objective of this well is to pen-
presence of a working petroleum system at a etrate an extended Karoo stratigraphy, compris-
location 6.5 km and greater from previous wells. ing stacked source rock, reservoir, and trapping
This well encountered intervals rich with gas intervals. An additional objective is to penetrate
(Methane) and hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs), the deeper Pre-Karoo once again, to test the
specifically, Ethane, Butane and Propane as source and reservoir intervals. In close proxim-
well as smaller quantities of heavier hydrocar- ity are other structures of interest, which could
bons. Hydrocarbon gas/HGLs were sampled in develop into a target rich exploration area, some
Isotubes during drilling and analysed by Geo- reachable by deviating the 5-1 well.
Mark Research (Houston, TX), revealing the Seismic Operations: The Phase 1 and Phase 2
presence of thermogenic hydrocarbons, which seismic acquisition programmes comprise 497
were generated from organic matter under high line-km and 761 line-km respectively. These
temperatures. Between the depths of 1,300 and programmes were acquired in 2021 and the first porosity. Augmenting the seismic data imaging,
1,335 metres below surface, a significant propor- half of 2022 respectively. Data from both the pro- the outcrop data to the south and west show large
tion of these samples were HGLs. Additionally, grammes have been processed and an integrated exploration targets; anticlinal structures poten-
hydrocarbon gases were recorded in various interpretation is being finalised. tially hundreds of square km in size, a significant
intervals between 838 metres and 1,807 metres, Thus far, interpretation of the final processed portion of which could be under four-way dip
and between 1,990 metres and 2,058 metres, the seismic data from the Phase 2 acquisition pro- closure.
total depth of the well. Although geologically gramme has produced a series of additional leads Importantly, the Phase 2 seismic programme
a successful well, economic accumulations of and potential drilling targets. These additional was completed successfully on time. The health
hydrocarbons were not encountered, very likely leads will considerably expand and diversify the and safety statistics were also important: 180,000
due to the absence of a trap or a four-way dip Company’s drilling prospect and lead portfolio. person-hours, 600,000 vehicle-km, no injuries
closure. The well produced additional valuable Within the greater Kavango Sedimentary Basin, resulting in lost time and no injuries restricting
geological information intersecting the pre- the Company has identified the Karoo Rift Basin work. Over eighty percent of our manpower was
dicted Karoo stratigraphy (rocks 180-310mn and the multiple leads and prospects associated from the local area as well as substantial services
years old) and pre-Karoo stratigraphy, which with this extensional basin. Phase 2 seismic data and goods being sourced locally.
included promising source, seal and reservoir show that the Karoo Rift Basin is composed of a Phase 2 Extension (additional 1,500 km 2D
rock lithologies. Cuttings samples were collected number of sub-basins that should open up new Seismic): ReconAfrica recently obtained an
at 5-metre intervals and 38 sidewall cores were plays within the context of the original explora- approved amendment to their Environmental
brought to surface. tion concepts. Compliance Certificate from the Ministry of
Sample analysis and other analytical work is In addition, the 2D seismic data also identi- Environment, Forestry and Tourism to acquire
ongoing. Geochemical analysis of samples rich fied targets in the Damara Fold Belt, an extensive up to an additional 1,500 km of 2D seismic data.
in organic matter is currently being conducted area of folded and faulted anticlines to the south- Mobilisation of the seismic crew is underway
by Geomark Research (Houston, TX) to estab- west of the Karoo Rift Basin, potentially serving and the data acquisition should commence at
lish the extent of source rock potential. Petro- as excellent structural and stratigraphic traps in the beginning of November and likely continue
physical logs will be calibrated with core analyses the Pre-Karoo stratigraphy. (See seismic line 2 into at least April, 2023. This programme will be
to determine the thickness and quality of poten- below). Initially identified with the Phase 1 2D executed by Polaris Natural Resources Inc., Can-
tial reservoir intervals. seismic data, the additional seismic data show ada’s longest standing seismic acquisition com-
The final processed Vertical Seismic Pro- an extensive area of compressional folded and pany based in Calgary, Alberta like the previous
file (VSP) result is critical for carrying out an faulted anticlines in the Pre Karoo, Damara Fold seismic campaigns. The seismic source equip-
improved time to depth conversion of the seis- Belt, which extends across northern Namibia. ment, which was developed in western Canada,
mic data, which is necessary to map the seismic These structures are exceptionally well imaged is designed for low-environmental-impact seis-
data in depth as opposed to just time. This will be in the southwestern part of the greater Kavango mic acquisition while delivering good subsur-
used for the selection of future drilling locations Sedimentary Basin which is not overlayed by the face energy penetration. Three Polaris Explorer
and generating thermal maturity models, crucial Karoo Rift Basin. Pre-Karoo formations have 860 seismic acquisition tractors will be deployed,
for establishing areas and depositional centres of been penetrated in each of the 3 wells drilled in which are only 3m wide and specially designed
source rock maturity. PEL 73, including the 6-2 well which contained 2 for minimal impact to the environment.
Four-way dip closure - A simple structure of intervals with significant oil shows and reservoir ReconAfrica, November 9 2022

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