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Thursday, June 6, 2019
Oranto Petroleum successfully completed its seismic data acquisition survey over the Ngassa block located near Uganda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Oranto contracted the UK-based IMC Geophysical Services Ltd to undertake the survey, which began in mid-April and was completed on May 18.
The Ngassa block lies on the eastern banks of Lake Albert, within the villages of Tonya A, Tonya B, Kijjangi, Mbegu, Kaiso and Kyehoro, in Hoima and Kikuube districts.
This block was initially part of Exploration Area 2 licensed to Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd. but reverted to the government after the expiry of Tullow’s appraisal period. As it was held previously by Tullow, the Oranto survey is not the only one to be shot on the acreage. According to reports, a total of 32 seismic surveys have been undertaken in the Albertine Graben and some of those on the Oranto acreage.
Two-thirds of this block is covered by good quality 2D seismic data while the remaining third is covered by 3D seismic data acquired between 2003 and 2008.
The acquired data will be analyzed together with the pre-existing 2D and 3D data to better define the north-eastern part of the Ngassa mega prospect.
“The survey involved the acquisition of 326-line km of offshore 2D seismic data over the Ngassa Contract Areas (on Lake Albert),” said Dozith Abeinomugisha, Director Exploration at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU). “Conclusion of this exercise represents an important step by the licensee in fulfilling its obligations for the first two-year exploration phase that runs from October 2017 to October 2019.”
Oranto has undertaken other technical studies as part of the exploration work program, including reprocessing of the existing seismic data and petro-physical studies over the Ngassa 1 and 2 wells to evaluate the quality of the reservoir horizons penetrated by these wells. Although the two wells encountered oil and gas, much of this block was not tested, meaning that there was need for additional exploration work to fully assess the potential of the block.
Going forward, the government expects Oranto to process and interpret the acquired data whose results will inform the company’s subsequent activities over the next two years.
“We expect Oranto Petroleum Limited to revert to the PAU by October, 2019, with a detailed work program for drilling at least one exploration well on Lake Albert within the next two years,” said Abeinomugisha.
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