Offshore staff

LONDON -- AMNI International Petroleum Development Co. Ltd. and Afren plc have completed appraisal drilling on the Okoro field offshore Nigeria.

Okoro-3 was the first well drilled by the group on OML 112 in the shallow-water Niger Delta. The well reached TD at 1,981 m (6,500 ft) in the Miocene Agbada Formation. The well confirmed the eastern extension of the field as well as the hydrocarbon contacts seen in both sand formations in the initial discovery.

Following testing on Okoro-3, the group drilled a second appraisal well, a deviated sidetrack from the Okoro-3 wellbore, to further evaluate both reservoirs and provide greater control for planning future horizontal production wells. The Okoro-3 sidetrack reached a TD of 2,094 m (6,870 ft), encountering 21 m (70 ft) of net oil pay.

Well results are still being evaluated in preparation for a field development plan to be submitted to the Nigerian government in January 2007.

"This additional penetration of the Okoro field will assist us in planning the horizontal wells which will be required to develop the field," says Brian O'Cathain, chief executive of Afren. "As a result of the two-well appraisal drilling program, Afren has enhanced the proved and probable reserves cases on the Okoro-Setu development.".

A nine-month development drilling program on the Okoro and Setu fields is to begin in 3Q 2007. GlobalSantaFe'sAdriatic VI jackup will perform the drilling work. A fast-track development plan is in place to produce first oil in early 2008.

12/14/2006