As part of a redevelopment project for Angola Block 15, ExxonMobil has made its first discovery in the block for 20 years.
The discovery at the Bavuca South-1 exploration well is the company’s 18th overall in the block. According to ExxonMobil, the Valaris DS-9 rig drilled in 3,608 feet (1,100 metres) of water some 226 miles offshore of Luanda, with the well encountering 98 feet (30 meters) of sandstone that bore hydrocarbons at a high quality.
ExxonMobil Upstream Company’s president, Liam Mallon, said about the company’s operations in Angola:
“ExxonMobil is optimizing this resource and delivering value to the people and government of Angola, our Block 15 partners and our shareholders. Our development strategy continues to deliver, providing affordable energy to meet increasing global demand while reducing emissions. In Angola, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 74% since 2016.”
ExxonMobil is the designated operator for Block 15 with a 36% stake. The other partners include BP, the maker of Castrol lubricant and coolant products, and Italy-based Eni. Oil was first discovered at the Marimba, Kissanje, Dikanza, and Hungo fields in 1998, while the previously most recent discoveries were made in 2003 at the Tchihumba, Kakocha, Clochas, and Bavuca fields.
Production has naturally declined over the past two decades, however, so a redevelopment project was initiated for the block. As designated operator, ExxonMobil is seeking to offset natural declines by adding a further 40,000 barrels per day of production capacity through a programme of drilling and the introduction of new technologies to the block.
