Eni made a gas and condensates discovery in the Nyonie Deep exploration prospect in block D4, about 13km from the coast of Gabon.
ENI estimates initial potential in place is 500MMboe. The discovery was made in the pre-salt of Gabon through the NFW Nyonie Deep 1 well, drilled in 28m water depth, reaching a 4314m total depth.
The well encountered a thick hydrocarbon bearing section (320m) in the pre-salt clastic sequence of Aptian age. The structure, which extends more than 40sq km, covers two offshore exploration blocks, both operated by Eni (with a 100% stake).
The discovery will be followed by an appraisal campaign to assess its potential, which will be carried out shortly. In the meantime, Eni will begin studies for the potential commercial exploitation of the field.
ENI said: "This is the third field to be discovered recently in shallow waters in such plays, after Nene Marine and Litchendjili Marine in Congo (under ENI's west Africa exploration program). The total estimated potential of these discoveries is approximately 3 billion boe, with potential for further improvement.
"These successes reflect the company's strategy, which is based on maintaining high stakes which allow for the replacement of reserves and quick enhancement of exploration results, in the event of a discovery."
Eni has operated in Gabon through its affiliate Eni Gabon since 2009, and currently has exploration activities in four exploration licenses, two of which are offshore (D3 and D4).