Cairn Energy strikes again in Senegal as its second find hit high quality oil at the SNE-1 well off West Africa.
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Map of Senegal. From Cairn. |
SNE-1 is located approximately 100km offshore Senegal in the Sangomar Offshore block in about 1100m water depth with a target depth of approximately 3000m. The well is about 24km away from Cairn's successful FAN-1 well.
Using Transocean’s Cajun Express, a 95m gross oil bearing column with net oil pay zone thickness of 36m in Albian aged sandstones was found at SNE-1, that displays excellent reservoir potential. High quality 32° API oil has been recovered to the surface, from samples of gas, oil and water.
Preliminary estimates of the contingent resource range from P90: 150MMbbls, P50: 330MMbbls and P10: 670MMbbls recoverable. According to joint venture partner FAR Ltd., the SNE-1 well proves hydrocarbons have migrated up onto the shelf area, which bodes well for the extensive suite of prospects yet to be drilled in its Senegal blocks.
“Based on preliminary estimates it is highly likely to be a commercial discovery,” says Cath Norman, FAR managing director. “The SNE-1 discovery has potential to lead to a large stand-alone development and is an important step forward in establishing an entirely new petroleum province which would be transformational for Senegal. We expect to resume drilling on the SNE-1 well shortly to evaluate the deeper Aptian carbonate objective.”
SNE-1’s intermediate logging has confirmed hydrocarbons in the Cretaceous clastics objective, which is of similar age to oil bearing sands found at FAN-1. The JV is continuing with further evaluations of the zone.
“This is a significant oil find for Cairn and Senegal and based on preliminary estimates is a commercial discovery and opens a new basin on the Atlantic Margin,” says Simon Thomson, Cairn energy chief executive. “On completion of the SNE-1 well the joint venture along with the authorities in Senegal will evaluate all of the information to understand how best to take forward these basin opening discoveries with an appraisal drilling program in 2015.”
In October, the joint venture FAN-1 well encountered oil using the Cajun Express. The semisubmersible rig reached a target depth of 4927m and discovered 29m of net oil bearing reservoir in Cretaceous sandstones.
“The FAN-1 well intersected a significant gross 500m oil-bearing section which indicates the presence of a prolific oil generating province,” says Norman.
Both the FAN-1 and SNE-1 wells are the first deepwater wells drilled in Senegalese waters and the first offshore wells to be drilled in more than 20 years.
Cairn is the operator of three blocks offshore Senegal: Sangomar Deep, Sangomar Offshore and Rufisque, with a 40% interest. Partners include ConocoPhillips (35%), FAR (15%) and Petrosen, the national oil company of Senegal (10%).
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