ChevronTexaco's Nigeria affiliate, Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf Ltd., has confirmed a gas discovery in its deepwater Nigeria OPL 218 Nnwa gas discovery following completion of the Nnwa-2 appraisal well. Statoil Nigeria Ltd. drilled the OPL 218 well, which follows the 1999 Nnwa-1 discovery well, on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC).
Nnwa-2 drilling operations began in July 2002 with the Transocean Sedco Energy drilling rig in 1,191 m water depth and reached a 4,984 m final depth. Nnwa-2 is 180 km southwest of Port Harcourt, 6.5 km northwest of the OPL 218 Nnwa-1 discovery well and 10.4 km northwest of the OPL 219 Doro-1X well.
The results of Nnwa-2 indicate continuity of the main gas reservoir intervals across the large Nnwa structure, extending into the adjacent offshore Nigeria block OPL 219. Following a successful production test the Nnwa-2 was plugged and suspended.
The OPL 218 and OPL 219 license participants, with Statoil and Shell as respective block operators, signed a memorandum of understanding with NNPC and the Federal Government of Nigeria in June 2002 to conduct a feasibility study for a possible joint development of the Nnwa/Doro field using a floating liquefied natural gas production facility concept. This MOU study, being led by Statoil as project manager, is planned to reach a conclusion by late-2003. Additional appraisal work will be needed on the license blocks to further characterize the large Nnwa/Doro field.
ChevronTexaco holds a 46.2% contractor equity in OPL 218, with the operator Statoil holding 53.9%. In addition to OPL 218, the affiliate companies of ChevronTexaco Corp. in Nigeria hold significant deepwater participating interests in the following concessions: OPLs 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 222, 250 and 318.
01/29/03