by Rigzone Reporter
Friday, April 27, 2007

Angola, the second largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, is expected to reach 2 MMb/d by 2008. Significant activity recently will help the country achieve this goal.

Dating back to 1999, BP made its first of six discoveries to be developed on Block 18. Development of the Greater Plutonio Project, which consists of Galio, Cromio, Paladio, Plutonio, Cobalto, and Platina fields, began in 2004. Lying in water depths of 1,200 - 1,500 m, the development will consist of a single spread-moored FPSO linked by risers to a network of subsea flowlines, manifolds, and wells. First production is targeted for 2007. Read more about this project on page 51.

Perhaps the most notable deepwater field off Angola is ExxonMobil’s Kizomba Project in Block 15, which comprises the Hungo, Chocalho, Kissanje, Dikanza, Mondo, Saxi, and Batuque fields. Their combined recoverable reserves approach 2 Bboe. Each of these oil wells taps into multiple high quality reservoirs.

The Kizomba A Project, which is in 1,005 – 1,280 m of water, comprises the Hungo and the Chocalho Fields. It has total recoverable resources of about 1 Bbbl and began producing more than 130,000 b/d in August 2005.

The Kissanje and Dikanza fields are part of the Kizomba B Project and are in Block 15 in 1,000 m of water. The Kizomba B Project is expected to recover nearly 1 Bbbl at a production rate of 250,000 b/d. It began producing five months ahead of schedule in July 2005. A fixed platform and subsea wells linked to an FPSO are developing the project. Oil treatment and storage is done on the FPSO.

Kizomba C, which in under development, will exploit the Mondo, Saxi, and Batuque fields using two FPSOs, which have combined resources of over 615 MMbbl.

In January 2007 Chevron’s subsidiary, Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd. (CABGOC), announced a significant oil discovery in deepwater Block 14, the Lucapa discovery well. Block 14 is in the Lower Congo Basin. It covers 2,414 km in water depths extending from 182-1,828 m. There have been 10 discoveries in Block 14 since 1997: Kuito (1997), Benguela (1998), Belize (1998), Landana (1998), Lobito (2000), Tomboco (2000), Tombua (2001), Gabela (2002), Negage (2002), and Lucapa (2006). The Kuito Field began its first phase of production on Dec. 15, 1999.

CABGOC drilled its latest well in October 2006 in 1,201 m of water to a total vertical depth of 3,340 m and encountered more than 85 m of oil in Miocene-age sands.

Further drilling in addition to geologic and engineering studies to appraise the field and assess its potential reserves will follow Lucapa.

Five new discoveries in 2006 and 2007 as well as six discoveries online from 2006 through 2008, will help propel Angola past Nigeria as the largest oil producer in the region in the next few years. Hover over map for enlarged view.

In January 2006 Chevron started oil production from the Belize Field in deepwater Block 14. The Benguela, Belize, Lobito, and Tomboco fields form the BBLT Development, which is 80 km offshore in approximately 396 m of water. It is being developed in two phases. Phase 1 – Benguela Belize –– combines an integrated drilling and production platform hub facility supported by a compliant piled tower. The compliant piled tower is the first application of this structural technology outside the US Gulf of Mexico. Phase 2 –– Lobito Tomboco –– will produce via subsea wells tied into the central production hub.

Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd. operates Block 14 with 31%, Sonangol Pesquisa & Produção, SARL 20%, ENI Angola Exploration BV 20%, TotalFinaElf Exploration & Production Angola 20%, and Galp-Exploração e Produção Petrolífera, Ltd. 9%.

Cabinda and its partners also announced first crude oil production from the Landana North reservoir in the Tombua-Landana development area.

First oil was achieved in June 2006 from the Landana North No. 1 subsea well that is tied back to the BBLT compliant piled tower. This tieback to BBLT allows early production, as well as the gathering of important reservoir information.

The 46-well project, 80 km offshore in more than 366 m of water, will employ a compliant piled tower with one subsea center. The projected peak production from the completed development is approximately 100,000 b/d by 2010.

Much activity was reported from Block 17 in 2006. Deepwater Block 17 is Total’s principal producing asset in Angola. It is composed of three major production zones: Girassol, Dalia, and Pazflor.

In October, Sonangol and Total reported that the Orquidea-2 appraisal well confirmed and expanded the potential of the Orquidea discovery in Block 17. Located approximately 2 km from the Orquidea-1 discovery well (discovered in 1999) and drilled in a water depth of 1,165 m, Orquidea-2 identified and confirmed the Miocene objectives encountered by Orquidea-1 and also identified deeper Oligocene reservoir levels. The Oligocene and Miocene objectives are both oil bearing.

The Orquidea structure is near the Lirio, Cravo, and Violeta finds. This dual drilling success confirms the potential for development of a fourth production zone in Block 17, for which preliminary design is underway. The production zone is in the northwestern area of Block 17 and will complete the Girassol and Dalia zones, to be followed soon by the Pazflor production zone.

TotalFinaElf began oil production in the Dalia Field on Block 17 in December 2006.

The Dalia Field is 125 km off the coast of Zaire province in 1,300 m of water. Discovered in January 1997, the development is being produced with an FPSO, much like its Block 17 neighbor, Girassol.

However, unlike Girassol, Dalia’s four reservoirs contain low temperature acidic 22°API Miocene crude, which makes the development quite different from Girassol. Dalia was developed with 67-71 wells; almost double that of Girassol.

Next to come onstream will be the Rosa development project in 2007. The Rosa development, discovered in 1998 on Block 17 in 1,300 - 1,500 m of water, requires 25 subsea wells -- 14 producers and 11 injectors — tied back to the Girassol FPSO anchored 15 km away. Modifications to the FPSO will increase the yearly average production rate to 250,000 b/d.

Saipem 10000 is currently working for Total on the Rosa development through August 2009 after which it will move to Nigeria and work for Eni.

Rosa is the second field to be tied back to the Girassol FPSO after the Jasmim Field in late 2003.

The Girassol FPSO is in 1,400 m of water 150 km off the coast of Angola, between the cities of Soyo and Luanda. It produces 200,000 b/d from the Girassol Field alone.

Sonangol is also the Block 17 concessionaire. Total E&P Angola, operator, has a 40% interest in Block 17, alongside partners Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Ltd. 20%, BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd. 16.67%, Statoil Angola Block 17 AS 13.33%, and Norsk Hydro Dezassete a.s. 10%.

Sonangol is developing the Gimboa Field in Block 4/05, 137 km off Angola in 700 m of water. The Gimboa Field will be produced by an FPSO with a storage capacity of 1,800,000 bbl and a production capacity of 60,000 b/d. The FPSO will be delivered in early 2008, when the first oil is expected.

Angola has plenty of opportunities to expand its oil production. BP is currently evaluating development options for the numerous Block 31 discoveries. Back in September 2002, BP Exploration Angola confirmed a deepwater discovery, Plutao-1A, about 400 km northwest of Luanda. The Plutao-1A was drilled to 4,452 m in 2,020 m of water. Twelve more discoveries followed.

Most recently, BP drilled the Terra discovery well. BP contracted GlobalSantaFe’s Jack Ryan drillship to drill this discovery in 2,328 m of water, which reached 6,118 m TVD. Well test results indicate anticipated flow capacity in excess of 5,000 b/d under production conditions. This is the third discovery in Block 31 where the exploration well has been drilled through salt to access the oil bearing reservoir beneath.

Oil deposits are commonly associated with salt throughout the world; Angola is no exception. Salt distorts the seismic image and as a consequence, salt-affected areas require significant amounts of additional seismic processing and interpretation prior to drilling.

According to BP, the Tera discovery reinforces the potential for multiple developments on this block. The operator is studying development concepts for developing Block 31.

Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 31. BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd. is the operator with 26%. The other interest owners in Block 31 are Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Block 31) Ltd. 25%, Sonangol E.P. 20%, Statoil Angola AS 13.33%, Marathon International Petroleum Angola Block 31 Ltd. 10%, and TEPA (BLOCK 31) LIMITED, (a subsidiary of the Total Group) with 5%.

Another possibility for future development is Total’s ultra-deepwater Block 32. Total declared the Gindungo well a discovery after drilling in 1,444 m of water and successively testing the field at rates of 7,400 and 5,700 b/d from two separate zones. This discovery is in the eastern portion of Block 32, about 64 km from the Girassol Field in Block 17.

Total has made a total of nine discoveries in Block 32, most recently two in February 2007.

Drilled in a water depth of 1,977 m, the Manjericao well tested more than 5,000 b/d of oil from Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. This discovery is in the central part of Block 32. It demonstrates that there is additional resource potential in the previously unexplored central area of Block 32.

Drilled in a water depth of 1,673 m, the Caril well also encountered Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. The well was tested from a selected interval and produced at a rate of 6,300 b/d of light oil. This discovery is in the northeastern part of Block 32.

Ultra-deep exploration work conducted in 2005 and 2006 confirmed the potential of Block 32. After the discoveries of Gindungo in 2003 and Canela and Cola in 2004, the positive results from the Gengibre and Mostarda wells drilled in 2005 confirmed the existence of a probable major production structure in the east-central section of the block. Conceptual development studies were initiated in 2005 for development of these discoveries.

According to Total, complementary technical studies are being carried out to fully evaluate these promising drilling results, and further exploration drillings are underway and planned across the block.

Sonangol is the Block 32 concessionaire. Total operates the block with a 30% interest, alongside Marathon Oil Co. 30%, Sonangol EP 20%, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Ltd. 15%, and Petrogal 5%.