UK-based explorer Cairn Energy has increased its resource estimate on the major SNE discovery offshore Senegal by 20%, with potential for it to increase further, following successful appraisal work.
The deepwater field, sitting in about 1100m water depth, 100km offshore Senegal in the Sangomar Offshore block, was listed as potentially the largest oil discovery in 2014 by Wood Mackenzie.
Cairn now estimates the field, also called Shelf Edge, to contain P50, or 2C, resources at 385 MMbbl, up 20%.
The boost follows the results of the SNE-2 appraisal well on the field, announced in January. Results from the recently completed SNE-3 appraisal well could further boosts those estimates.
Simon Thomson, Cairn's CEO, said: “Our multi-well evaluation program... has confirmed the scale and extent of the significant resource base in this world class asset. Cairn’s 2C current resource estimate for the SNE field has gone up by 20% and the positive results of the latest appraisal well provide the potential to further increase the size of the SNE field."
Meanwhile, Cairn has also just started drilling the BEL-1 exploration well, using the 7th generation Ocean Rig Athena drillship, in 1100m water depth. It will test the Bellatrix prospect in the untested Buried Hills play, as well as appraising part of the SNE field.
Cairn operates three blocks offshore Senegal – Sangomar, Sangomar Deep and Rufisque – under one license. As well as the SNE-1 discovery, the firm made the FAN-1 discovery. FAN-1 was drilled in 2014 in 1427m water depth, 100km offshore in the Sangomar Deep block.
Together, Cairn believes the two discoveries and other prospects could amount to more than a billion barrels and the potential for a multi-field, multi-phase development.
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