17 January 2012, Sweetcrude, MAPUTO – Anadarko Petroleum, the US independent, says it has hit gas across multiple zones in the Lagosta-2 appraisal well in Mozambique’s offshore Area 1.
The appraisal well, drilled using the deep-water drillship Belford Dolphin to a total depth of 14,223 feet, encountered 777 feet of natural gas pay across multiple zones in water depths of about 4813 feet.
Bob Daniels, Anadarko senior vice president, worldwide exploration, said: “This is the largest pay count of any well in the complex to date, and it seems fitting that our seventh successful well in the discovery area would encounter 777 net feet of pay.”
Joint venture partner, Cove Energy, said in a separate announcement on Tuesday that pressure readings confirmed reservoir continuity between Lagosta-2 and the Lagosta and Camarao discovery wells over a distance of 15.5 kilometres.
Anadarko also revealed a second deep-water drillship, the Deepwater Millennium, had arrived in Mozambique to start an accelerated program which included installing observation gauges and carrying out several drillstem tests in the Windjammer, Barquentine and Lagosta complex.
Following the completion of operations at Lagosta-2, which Anadarko said would be preserved for future utilisation during its planned drillstem testing program, the Belford Dolphin will be mobilised to spud the Lagosta-3 appraisal well.
Offshore Area 1 covers 2.6 million acres in the Rovuma basin and has been estimated to hold between 15 trillion and 30 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas.
Anadarko is operator of Area 1 with a 36.5% working interest and is partnered by Cove on 8.5%, Mitsui E&P with 20%, BPRL Ventures and Videocon Mozambique Rovuma each hold 10%, while State-run Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos holds the remaining 15% interest and is free carried through the exploration phase.
