Petroleum Africa
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
Soco International updated its operation in West Africa which include the ROC, DRC, and Angola. The company’s Lideka East Marine-1 well (LDKEM-1, targeting a post-salt structure, up-dip from the Lideka Marine-1 well, encountered hydrocarbons. The well encountered approximately 50 meters of net pay section in the Upper and Lower Sendji, of which approximately 30 meters of net pay are within the targeted iS3 and S4 horizons.
The LDKEM-1 well was tested over a 20-meter interval in the iS3 and S4 horizons and flowed at a sustained rate of 350 bpd, with base, sediment and water around 1%, in line with predictions from the petrophysical analysis.
At the Nanga IIA, reprocessing is still ongoing on the remaining previously acquired seismic data, and is expected to be completed during Q2 2014. The company is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Hydrocarbons for a further year’s extension to the license.
The company added to its holdings in the ROC with an agreement with PA Resources (PAR) to farm in to a 60% working interest on the Mer Profonde Sud permit. In return for carrying certain of PA’s costs, Soco will assume a 60% working interest in the Mer Profonde Sud exploration area as operator and will drill an exploration well in the remaining license period. The transaction is subject to the necessary partner and regulatory approvals including both the assignment of the interest to Soco and renewal into the third and final period of the license. Following approval, the partners would look to drill the well in 2014-2015.
Following completion of the transaction, PAR will retain a 25% working interest in the license and state-run SNPC will retain its current 15% interest.
In the DRC on the Nganzi license, Soco said it has decided not to proceed into the next phase of the license and has submitted its application to relinquish the block. Ministry confirmation is expected to be received by the end of the year.
On Block V the company is currently conducting environmental baseline studies of fish and molluscs on Lake Edward, utilizing the Okapi Environment Conseil Sprl, a respected environmental consultancy specializing in environmental and social evaluations. A lake bathymetry study has commenced. A hippopotami inventory commenced in 2013.
In August 2013, Soco launched its social projects for the communities around Lake Edward. These projects include a mobile hospital, the launch of a disease mapping campaign and the installation of a communications mast at Nyakakoma. The mast will immediately reduce the human footfall across the Virunga National Park as it will enable communities to access a communications signal for the first time from their own village. This will reduce the need to travel long distances, reportedly walking up to 20 miles, across unsafe and hostile territory. Addressing these risks positively contributes to the efforts to bring stability to the region.
Finally in Angola on the Cabinda North Block, the company said the Dinge 20-6 well, the first of a two-well exploration program, identified two hydrocarbon zones which have subsequently been tested. The results of these tests are under review and details will be released by the operator in due course. The well tested the Vovo Sands in the pre-salt section onshore Cabinda North in the area of the Dinge discovery. The target sands were deposited in a lacustrine environment above the middle Bucomazi, which is a world class source rock.
The second well, Dinge 20-7, is expected to be drilled immediately following completion of work at the Dinge 20-6 location.
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