Upstream

Côte d’Ivoire: Eni increases reserves at Baleine discovery by 25% with second successful well

The Saipem 12,000 drillship is currently mobilised offshore Côte d'Ivoire for drilling on the Baleine structure.

By

Italian major Eni has announced the successful drilling and testing of the Baleine East-1X well within Block CI-802 offshore Côte d’Ivoire. This is the first well to be drilled in the block and targeting the Baleine structure discovered in 2021 in the adjacent Block CI-101.

Results from the wells have allowed to increase the volumes of hydrocarbons in place at Baleine from 2bn barrels of oil and 2.4 Tcf of associated gas to 2.5bn barrels of oil and 3.3 Tcf of associated gas, Eni has revealed.

The well is located 5km east of the Baleine-1X discovery well and reached  final depth of 3,165m (measured depth) in water depth of some 1,150m.

“From the vertical borehole a horizontal drain of 850 m in length was subsequently drilled into the reservoir to perform a production test that confirmed a potential of at least 12,000 bbl/d of oil and 14 Mscf/d of associated gas of production from the well Baleine East 1X,” Eni said.

In order to achieve First Oil from Baleine’s by H1 2023, Eni will be drilling a third well on the structure.

The company expects to produce 12,000 bopd and 17.5 MMscf/d from Phase 1 next year before ramping up to at least 75,000 bopd and 140 MMscf/d in a second phase due in 2026.  

Details on the ongoing development of the Baleine deepwater field are available in the “Projects” section within your Hawilti+ research terminal.

Read more

D.R. Congo opens new Bid Round for 30 oil & gas blocks

The Ministry of Hydrocarbons of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially opened today a new Bidding Round for 30 blocks across the country. The blocks are spread out across five different basins: Cuvette Central, Coastal Basin, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Kivu and the Albertine Graben. The Bid Round is supported by Xcalibur Multiphysics and is expected to close in April 2023. Interested parties are requested to send Expressions of by January 31st, 2023. Only registered, pre-qualified companies will be able to bid. According to authorities, the DRC contains oil resources estimated at around 22 billion barrels of oil and 66 billion barrels of methane gas in Lake Kivu. Independent operator Perenco already produces small quantities of oil and gas there, estimated at 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). This marks the third bidding round to be launched in sub-Saharan Africa over the past 12 months after Mozambique in November 2021 and Sierra Leone in May this year.

All gas: Eni takes FID on Quiluma and Maboqueiro gas project in Angola

Italian major Eni has announced the successful completions of negotiations to start up the New Gas Consortium (NGC) in Angola. The partnership was announced in late 2019 and includes Eni as operator (25.6%) along with Chevron (31%), bp (11.8%), TotalEnergies (11.8%), and Sonangol (19.8%). The consortium is developing Angola’s first non-associated gas project by focusing on the Quiluma and Maboqueiro gas fields. The development plan includes two offshore wellhead platforms and an onshore gas processing plant connected to Angola LNG’s Soyo export terminal. The project will provide feedstock to Angola LNG, who until now has relied solely on associated gas that was previously flared. Activities will start in 2022 with First Gas scheduled for 2026 and an expected production of 330 MMscf/d at plateau. Partners in the New Gas Consortium are all shareholders in Angola LNG and have a strategic interest in investing into new feedstock supply for the 5.2m tpy facility. Ultimately, the Quilume and Maboqueiro gas fields will be operated by Azule Energy, the new joint-venture of Eni Angola and bp Angola announced earlier this year.