BG Group is now sitting on more than 17Tcf of gas offshore Tanzania after its latest discoveries in the Kamba-1 well in Block 4, according to partner Ophir Energy.
The well, drilled using the Deepsea Metro I drillship in 1379m water depth, found 1.03Tcf in the Kamba and Fulusi prospects, said Ophir.
The discoveries, plus recent volume updates on earlier discoveries in Blocks 1, 3 and 4, which BG operates with partner Ophir, increases Ophir’s estimate of the total mean (2C) recoverable resources on the blocks to 17.1Tcf.
"The Kamba-1 result provides critical mass for an LNG train to be supplied from the fields in Block 4 and also takes the overall resource volume to the threshold for a future potential third LNG train to be from Blocks 1 and 4," said Ophir.
The Kamba-1 discovery is BG and Ophir's 16th consecutive discovery well in Blocks 1, 3 and 4, offshore Tanzania. It is also BG's final well in its current drilling campaign in partnership with Ophir.
The well, which was drilled to a total depth of 3969m, encountered an 18m gross gas column in the Fulusi prospect and, after sidetracking to test the Kamba prospect, the Kamba-1ST well established another gas column of 140m with high net to gross, good quality, reservoir sands.
"The well encountered better quality reservoir sands than prognosed pre-drill and further analysis is expected to confirm discovered volumes somewhat in excess of the pre-drill estimated mean (2C) recoverable resources of 1.03Tcf, comprised of 650bcf in Kamba and 380bcf in Fulusi," said Ophir.
BG operates the Block 4 licence and Ophir holds a 20% interest.
The Deepsea Metro I will remain in Tanzania and now move to drill two operated wells for Ophir in the East Pande and Block 7 PSCs.
The first well will be the Tende-1 well on the East Pande license. Ophir operates the East Pande license and holds a 70% interest.
East Pande PSC is between the coast and the gas discoveries in Blocks 1 and 2. Ophir says the Tende-1 well is on trend with the recent Taachui-1 discovery in Block 1 at a water depth of 680m and will be drilled to a planned total depth of 4200m. The well is targeting gas in a lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoir with a mean prospective resource estimate of 2.38Tcf at a 15% chance of success. Drilling operations are expected to take about 35 days.
After completing the Tende-1 well, the Deepsea Metro I will move to Block 7 to drill the Mkuki-1 well. Ophir has an 80% operated interest in the Block 7 PSC, which is to the north of the gas discoveries in Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mkuki-1 will be in the western, inboard portion of the block, in a water depth of 1,655m and has a planned total depth of 3200m.
The well is targeting gas in a Tertiary clastic reservoir with a mean prospective resource estimate of 2.19TCF at a 13% chance of success. Drilling operations are expected to take about 20 days.
Separately, BG Group has decided to withdraw from Block 3. Ophir has applied to enter the next PSC term under which it will hold an 80% interest and will formally re-assume operatorship from October 2014, with partner Pavilion Energy retaining 20%. The 2012 Papa-1 gas discovery is the only well to have been drilled in Block 3 to date.
Nick Cooper, Ophir's CEO, said: “The Kamba discovery has now confirmed sufficient aggregate resource in Block 4 to supply one 5MMTPA train of LNG. In combination with the discovered resource in Block 1, the Block 1 and 4 Joint Venture is now close to the threshold resource volumes for three 5MMTPA LNG trains.
Ophir is the most active explorer in Tanzania in 2014 and the drilling program continues with the first of two operated exploration wells in the East Pande and then the Block 7 PSCs. We are also pleased to re-assume operatorship of Block 3 to explore the potential of further upside.”
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