Sound Energy has been given the go-ahead for its gas export pipeline in Morocco.
The firm received written confirmation, from the Wilaya of the L’Oriental Region in Morocco, a local authority in Eastern Morocco, that preliminary approval has been provided for the proposed route of the gas export pipeline that will be necessary to transit gas from Sound Energy’s Eastern Moroccan interests to the Gazoduc Maghreb Europe (GME) pipeline.
Chief executive James Parsons said: “I am delighted to have received this confirmation, which supports the significant progress we have made in developing our Moroccan portfolio to date. The approval is also further evidence of the relationships that Sound Energy has built in country since entering in 2015, and the mutual co-operation that exists with local, regional and governmental authorities.”
This preliminary approval, which will now be followed up by engineering and commercial activities necessary to support final authorisation, is another step in the development of the infrastructure required to support the early monetization of gas from the TE-5 Horst discovery at Tendrara, according to the firm.
Sound Energy farmed in to the Tendrara licence in June 2015, taking a 55% working interest in the licence.
Following completion of a basin study, preliminary estimates from the Company indicate a range of volumes across the entire Tendrara and Meridja permit areas, with a 9 Tcf low case for unrisked original gas in place (gross) and, if all the key elements of the petroleum system’s model are present, an upside case of 31 Tcf of unrisked original gas in place (gross).
Further exploration activity, including the acquisition of additional 2D and 3D seismic and the requirement for further drilling, will be required to substantiate the estimated exploration potential of the Basin.
