Dallas-based explorer Kosmos Energy’s Tortue-1 exploration well offshore Mauritania, western north Africa, has made a “significant, play-opening” gas discovery.
Tortue-1 was drilled in 2700m water depth, 285km southwest of Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, using the Atwood Achiever (pictured) drillship to test the Tortue West prospect, part of the Greater Tortue Complex, in Block C-8.
Block C-8 is part of the West Africa Transform Margin and is one of three blocks Kosmos operates under production sharing contracts. In a March presentation, Kosmos estimated the Tortue prospect contains 2.1 billion boe.
Kosmos has not said what its resource estimate is now for Tortue West, but chairman and COE Andrew Inglis said the find “exceeded pre-drill expectations” and was a “large scale gas resource.” Furthermore, the results de-risked Kosmos’ “large and underexplored 27,000sq km deepwater position in Mauritania,” he said.
The Tortue-1 well, drilled to 4630m depth, will now continue drilling to the planned total depth of approximately 5250m.
Once complete, Kosmos will start preparation work to spud its next well offshore Mauritania – the Marsouin-1 exploration well, in the central part of Block C-8, in Q3 2015. The firm is also developing an exploration program to test the other prospects in the Greater Tortue Complex, which it says extends into the St. Louis Offshore Profond Block in Senegal, including the Tortue East and Tortue North prospects. A 3D seismic survey acquired over our Senegal blocks in 2014 is currently being processed and interpreted.
Kosmos says Tortue-1 intersected 107m (351ft) of net hydrocarbon pay in the primary Lower Cenomanian objective. The Lower Cenomanian is comprised of three excellent quality multi-Darcy reservoirs totaling 88m (288ft) in thickness over a gross hydrocarbon bearing interval of 160m (528ft). A fourth zone 19m (62ft) thick was penetrated within the secondary Upper Cenomanian target over a gross hydrocarbon bearing interval of 150m (492ft).
Kosmos currently owns 90% in the Tortue Prospect, along with Société Mauritanienne Des Hydrocarbures et de Patrimoine Minier (SMHPM), with 10%.
Kosmos has held exploration rights in the C-8, C-12 and C-13 contract areas under production sharing contracts with the Government of Mauritania since 2012. In March 2015, Chevron Mauritania Exploration acquired a 30% non-operated interest in the C-8, C-12 and C-13 contract areas. Chevron has an option to elect to participate at a 30% interest in the Tortue Prospect, subject to Chevron paying a disproportionate share of their costs related to the Tortue-1 exploration well.
Subscribe
