Cairn Energy has made a second oil discovery during its Senegal exploration programme.
The Scottish oil firm announced last month it had made an initial oil find it its FAN-1 exploration well in the West African country.
The SNE-1 well is located in 1,100 metres water depth and is 100km offshore in the Sangomar block.
Cairn Energy said hydrocarbons had been confirmed in the well in the Crestaceous clastics objective, which is of a similar age to oil bearing sands found approximately 24km away in FAN-1.
The company has now issued notices of discovery to Government of Senegal.
Initial analysis includes 95m of oil bearing column with a gas cap and reservoir sand with net oil pay of 36m.
Cairn Energy chief executive, Simon Thomson, said:”This is a significant oil find for Cairn and Senegal and based on preliminary estimates is a commercial discovery and opens a new basin on the Atlantic Margin.
“On completion of the SNE-1 well the joint venture along with the authorities in Senegal will evaluate all of the information to understand how best to take forward these basin opening discoveries with an appraisal drilling programme in 2015.
“Cairn has additional prospects and leads that offer further exploration potential across this large acreage position in West Africa.”
Cairn Energy said further evaluation of the zone was being carried out, with the deeper target of Karstified and fractured Lower Cretaceous shelf carbonates yet to be reached.
The company has a 40% working interest in three blocks offshore Senegal (Sangomar Deep, Sangomar Offshore and Rufisque) ConocoPhillips has 35%, FAR Ltd 15% and Petrosen, the national oil company of Senegal, owns the remaining 10%.