International oil and gas firm Mazarine Energy has landed a new contract for work in Tunisia.
Mazarine will provide Compagnie Tunisienne de Forage with its CTF-4, a 2,000 horsepower onshore drilling rig for a two-well drilling campaign in Zaafrane.
The rig is 87 kilometres to the east of the Cat-1 location and will be drilled to a depth of 3,850 metres to evaluate the Lower Ordovician Hamra and El Atchane sandstone reservoirs.
The Cat-1 location has been surveyed, geotechnical evaluation of the site has been completed and construction of the location has commenced.
If the well encounters hydrocarbons, Mazarine plans to develop the field within two years.
Chief executive Edward van Kersbergen said: “The newly acquired 3D seismic looks highly promising, with new prospects and leads identified.”
Spudding of the first well is expected in January 2015.