Page 18 - AfrOil Week 02 2021

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ReconAfrica spuds first

well in deep Kavango Basin

Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica)
has commenced drilling operations on the first
well (6-2), of an initial three well program, in the
deep Kavango Basin in the Kalahari Desert of
North-East Namibia.
With the Company owned and operated
1,000 HP rig (Jarvie-1), we are now drilling
ahead to a planned 12,500 feet (3,810 metres)
total depth (TD) to evaluate potential hydrocar-
bon systems in one of five major sub-basins of
the larger, more laterally extensive, Permian aged
Kavango basin.
The first prospective section of the well is actively drilling and completing wells for many (Exploration Licence 001/2020) in the Kavango
designed to reach 4,800 feet (1,460 metres) in years,” said Nick Steinsberger, SVP of Drilling sedimentary basin, Botswana.
depth where intermediate casing will be set. and Completions. “I anticipate the first well will ReconAfrica recognises and accepts the
Sidewall cores and well logs will be run from an take up to 45 days to reach total depth and initial importance of pertinent cultural and historical
interval of 1,000 feet (300 metres) to 4,800 feet analysis of all prospective productive targets.” sites. As such the Tsodilo Hills, located in north-
(1,460 metres) to identify conventional targets. Dan Jarvie, ReconAfrica’s geochemist, said: west Botswana near the Namibian Border, a
The well prognosis provides for reaching the top “This important three-well drilling programme UNESCO World Heritage Site, has always been
of the Permian section at approximately 4,000 will provide ReconAfrica an initial assessment recognised by the Company, as a site with this
feet (1,220 metres). of the various Permian-age potential petroleum specific, highly important designation.
The second section of the well is designed to systems such as [those] found in the age-equiv- To this regard, ReconAfrica and the Govern-
reach a TD of 12,500 feet (3,810 metres) drill- alent Permian basin in Texas and Karoo basin ment of Botswana began a process in October of
ing through the intermediate to lower Permian in South Africa. Geological and geochemical 2020 to address this important issue. As a direct
sections. While drilling the lower sections the analysis will provide details on potential, stacked result of their collaborative process, the Republic
Company will take whole core and conduct a conventional reservoirs as well as multiple petro- of Botswana has now issued an updated Licence
full logging suite of all zones of interest (conven- leum source rocks. Petroleum source rock and to ReconAfrica excluding ReconAfrica’s entire
tional targets and source rocks). A comprehen- stratigraphic analysis will provide the Company Core and Buffer areas of the Tsodilo Hills. The
sive state of the art logging program over both with a basis for assessing the timing of light oil License area is now 8,990 square km (2.221mn
sections will be provided by Schlumberger. generation, its expulsion and migration to con- acres) versus the previous 9,921 square km
The 6-2 well will be drilled with water-based ventional reservoirs for future production.” (2.45mn acres).
drilling fluid providing ideal samples (cuttings Community: With the first successful com- ReconAfrica is pleased with this preferred
and core) to be utilised to determine a range of munity water well now in operation, ReconAf- structure as the Company has never had plans
petroleum properties and locations for future rica is engaged with the appropriate authorities for operations in the Tsodilo Hills area. Recon-
exploration and production wells. in drilling three additional community water Africa follows strict environment, social and
In keeping with the Company’s policy of wells. We are currently in the process of iden- governance protocols.
implementing environmental best practices, tifying optimum well locations for community ReconAfrica is committed to establishing
ReconAfrica is working with Valence Drilling members who are the most in need of access to operational transparency and working with all
Fluids, a North American company that pro- safe drinking water. local and national stakeholders. In all aspects
vides all organic and biodegradable drilling We continue with ongoing engagement and of its operations, ReconAfrica is committed to
fluids which are fully environmentally safe, for meetings with our stakeholders as well as hir- minimal disturbances in line with international
many aspects, including topsoil enhancement ing local and national experts, procuring prod- best standards and will implement environmen-
and development. ucts and services in the region and throughout tal and social best practices in all of its project
“We welcome the opportunity to work along- Namibia. ReconAfrica is committed to a respon- areas.
side ReconAfrica on this project as they are a sible approach to our business and we demon- Wood Mackenzie, one of the world’s leading
company that understands the importance of strate this by our actions. natural resources research and consulting firms,
environmental protection with proven results,” ReconAfrica, January 12 2021 has released a report on analogous subsurface
stated Gareth Eckhout, VP of Valence Drilling basins to the Kavango Basin, which is held by
Fluids. Botswana, ReconAfrica ReconAfrica under licence contracts. The study
“Drilling the first three wells in a newly dis- detailed three world-class basins of similar age
covered Permian basin, where one company amend exploration licence and/or tectonic origin; the Midland-Permian
holds all of the rights, is certainly a rare oppor- Basin (Texas), the Southern North Sea Basin,
tunity. There are many important similarities to exclude Tsodilo Hills area and the Doba Basin in Chad (Africa). The report
between the Kavango basin and the Permian demonstrates how the Kavango Basin is analo-
Basin in West Texas, one of the world’s most Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) gous to all three, but particularly to the sizable
prolific producing basins, where I have been has provided an update on its Petroleum Licence Midland Basin.

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 02 13•January•2021