More Wells Come Onstream as Drilling Ops Wrap Up at BW Energy-Operated Block Off Gabon

Norve jack-up rig (Credit: Borr Drilling)
Norve jack-up rig (Credit: Borr Drilling)

BW Energy and its partners have completed production drilling campaign at Dussafu Marin Permit offshore Gabon, bringing the oil production at the development to the highest quarterly rate since the start-up in 2018.

Dussafu Marin Permit, operated by BW Energy with 73.5% ownership along with partners Panoro Energy and Gabon Oil Company with 17.5% and 9% stakes respectively, has seen a gross oil production at during the third quarter of 2024 averaging approximately 27,465 bopd, the highest quarterly rate achieved since start-up of production on the block in 2018.

The increase in production follows the discovery in May of the Hibiscus Northern Flank, where the DHIBM-7H production well has been drilled into the discovery and put onstream with a conventional electrical submersible pump (ESP) system in early October at a rate consistent with previous wells on the block and in line with expectations.

Completion of the DHIBM-7H well concludes the current production drilling campaign at Dussafu which has delivered eight new production wells across the Hibiscus / Ruche area and yielded two new discoveries, adding an estimated 23.1 million barrels of gross 2P reserves.

“We are pleased to have safely and successfully delivered the current production drilling campaign at Dussafu, which was expanded to eight wells in order to accommodate fast-track development of the two new discoveries which were announced during May 2024.

“With five out of the eight wells presently onstream, in addition to the six pre-existing wells at the Tortue field, we are moving to within touching distance of the targeted gross rate of 40,000 bopd from the block,” said John Hamilton, CEO of Panoro.

Borr Drilling's Norve jack-up drilling rig will next undertake a workover / ESP replacement program on certain existing wells, for which delivery of all necessary conventional ESP systems and spares has been secured.

Upon conclusion of the workover program, all wells will have conventional ESP systems installed, resulting in gross production reaching the targeted 40,000 bopd level by year end, according to Panoro Energy.

The Bourdon prospect test well, the DBM-1, will be the last rig operation under the current contract in early 2025.

The Bourdon prospect has an estimated mid-case potential of 83 million barrels in place and 29 million barrels recoverable in the Gamba and Dentale formations.

“Our current focus is on fully transitioning all the new wells to conventional ESP systems and restoring production at the three shut-in wells, after which we will drill the exciting Bourdon prospect in line with our infrastructure lead exploration and appraisal,” added Hamilton.

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