Portuguese oil company Galp has successfully completed the first phase of the Mopane exploration campaign in the PEL 83 block offshore Namibia, and started a process of evaluating commerciality of oil discoveries made in the past months.
Galp (80%, operator), together with its partners NAMCOR and Custos (10% each), said it successfully completed the first phase of the Mopane exploration campaign with the conclusion of the Mopane-1X well testing operations.
In January 2024, the Mopane-1X well discovered significant oil columns containing light oil in high-quality reservoir sands at two different levels: AVO-1 and AVO-2.
The rig then moved to the Mopane-2X well location, where in March significant light oil columns were discovered in high-quality reservoir sands across exploration and appraisal targets: AVO-3, AVO-1 and a deeper target.
In particular, the Mopane-2X well found AVO-1 to be in the same pressure regime as in the Mopane-1X discovery well, around 8 km to the east, confirming its lateral extension.
The wells were drilled with Odfjell Drilling-managed semi-submersible rig Hercules.
“The reservoirs log measures confirm good porosities, high pressures and high permeabilities in large hydrocarbon columns. Fluid samples present very low oil viscosity and contain minimum CO2 and no H2S concentrations.
“The flows achieved during the well test have reached the maximum allowed limits of 14 kboepd, potentially positioning Mopane as an important commercial discovery. In the Mopane complex alone, and before drilling additional exploration and appraisal wells, hydrocarbon in-place estimates are 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent, or higher,” Galp said in a statement.
According to the company, all acquired data from the current Mopane drilling campaign will be analyzed and integrated into an updated reservoir model. The model will serve as the basis to refine Galp´s near-term drilling plan to further explore, appraise and develop the wider Mopane complex.
Galp said it will continue to analyze the acquired data during the coming weeks to assess the commerciality of the discoveries.
“The successful culmination of the exploration campaign at Mopane, including a well test reaching the maximum allowable limit, further demonstrates the scope and potential of PEL 83 with Mopane alone containing potential in excess of 10 billion barrels of original oil in place making it one of the largest discoveries globally,” said Knowledge Katti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Custos.