Deepwater Tanzania well hits first gas beyond the Rufiji Delta

Aug. 2, 2012
Ophir Energy plc’s Papa-1 well has made the first Cretaceous gas discovery outboard of the Rufiji Delta in deepwater block 3, offshore Tanzania.

Offshore staff

LONDON –Ophir Energy plc’s Papa-1 well has made the first Cretaceous gas discovery outboard of the Rufiji Delta in deepwater block 3, offshore Tanzania.

The well was designed to evaluate Campanian and Albian sandstones in the structural Papa prospect and encountered an 89 m (292 ft) gas bearing column in interbedded, Campanian sandstones. Ophir’s preliminary analysis suggests an in place resource of 0.5 – 2.0 tcf. Core and petrophysical analyses are under way to confirm the early findings.

Papa-1 is about 100 km (62 mi) offshore in block 3, offshore Tanzania; 53 km (33 mi) southeast of theearlier Pweza-1 discovery. The well spudded in late May in 2,186 m (7,172 ft) of water by the drillship Deep Sea Metro 1 and reached a TD of 5,544 m (18,189 ft) subsea in 57 days.

“Separately, Ophir has received preliminary products from the recently recorded block 1 3D seismic survey that is targeting the Rovuma Delta basin floor fan play,” said Nick Cooper, CEO of Ophir. “Interpretation work is commencing to determine whether the area contains features potentially comparable to those discovered in the adjacent play offshore Mozambique.”

TheDeep Sea Metro 1 will now be sub-let to Apache for one well in block L8 offshore Kenya.

8/02/2012