ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson (pictured) said on Thursday that the Ebola virus has disrupted plans to drill off Liberia, Reuters reported.
Plans to drill the Mesurado-1 wildcat, located in block LB-13, were delayed in July, according to partner Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd., as expatriates withdrew from the country.
“We are having to look at when it would be prudent to resume operations there because you do have to have shore-based support,” Tillerson said on Thursday.
According to the World Health Organization, 3300 deaths in West Africa have been attributed to the Ebola outbreak. In Liberia, there have been nearly 2000 deaths, with over 3600 cases filed.
ExxonMobil acquired interest in the block in 2013 from partner Canadian Overseas Petroleum. The block, which is located 18mi off Liberia’s central coast, comprises a 2500sq km area in waters ranging from 75-3000m deep. The supermajor opened an office in the country’s capital, Monrovia, to support operations there.
Canadian Overseas Petroleum said that it invested $25 million on 3D seismic, legal, and general costs as part of due diligence on the block. ExxonMobil paid $127 million in acquisition costs.
Seismic has identified a deepwater Turonian to Lower Campanian turbidite channel/fan complex on Block LB-13, with strong similarities to other turbidite sand reservoir oil fields offshore Angola, Canadian Overseas Petroleum said in a presentation this year. The company puts p90 gross reserves at approximately 1.7 billion bbl.
ExxonMobil isn’t the only supermajor to make its mark on the block. In 1970, Chevron drilled the IIB-1 well to 2930m and later plugged it as a dry hole with “immature oil show,” according to the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL).
ExxonMobil operates LB-13 with 83% interest. Its partner Canada Overseas Petroleum holds the remaining 17%. NOCAL maintains the right to receive 10% participating interest at the start of commercial production.
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