Cairn Energy is kicking off a 3D seismic survey of the Cap Juby Maritime blocks offshore southern Morocco following its acquisition of Nautical Petroleum.
Focus will be on the most prospective part of the 5,600sq km concession, including over the Cap Juby heavy oil accumulation and other oil plays in Mesozoic sequences.
Cairn said that in addition to acquisition of the new seismic data over the undeveloped block, it will be reprocessing older data in order to target deeper, light oil objectives.
The company is looking at exploration of both the Cap Juby and the adjacent Foum Draa blocks I, II, and III, where it recently acquired 50% operating interest from San Leon Energy, Serica Energy, and Longreach Oil & Gas.
It intends to launch exploratory drilling at Foum Draa early next year and, depending on the results of the seismic acquisition over Cap Juby, may include exploratory wells there as well.