Africa-focused explorer Ophir Energy made a new gas discovery in Tanzania, following successful drilling campaign in Block 1.
The Taachui-1 well, drilled close to the block’s western border and then side-tracked, was drilled to a total depth of 4215 metres.
It found a 289 metre column of gas in the Cretaceous reservoir interval, including 155 metres of net pay.
The firm estimates the discovery holds one trillion cubic feet of mean recoverable resource.
A drill stem test will now be performed on the Taachui discovery with results expected before the end of June, Ophir confirmed.
The company holds a 20% interest in Blocks 1,3 and 4, where it is looking to develop the country’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility by 2020.
BG Group is the operator with a 60% stake with Pavilion Energy holding the remaining 20% following an acquisition of Ophir’s interests earlier this year.
“The Taachui-1 discovery continues the 100% drilling success rate on Blocks 1, 3 and 4 and adds further resource to support the LNG development in Tanzania,” said Nick Cooper, Ophir’s chief executive.
“The result is important to Ophir for two reasons: firstly it extends the proven hydrocarbon system to the eastern limit of, and partly de-risks, Ophir’s East Pande permit on which the Tende-1 well will be drilled later in 2014; secondly the aggregate recoverable volumes of around 16.7trillion cubic feet are now approaching the threshold needed to underpin a potential third LNG train from Blocks 1, 3 and 4.”
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