Eni makes another major deepwater gas discovery offshore Mozambique

Offshore staff

SAN DONATO MILANESE, Italy –Eni has a new natural gas discovery offshore Mozambique at the Mamba North East 2 well in Area 4. This discovery adds at least 10 tcf of gas in place to the Area 4 estimates, which now total 70 tcf.

Mamba North East 2, where Eni will conduct a production test, was drilled in 1,994 m (6,542 ft) of water to a TD of 5,365 m (17,602 ft). The well is 9 km (5.6 mi) east ofMamba North East 1 and 23 km (14 mi) from Mamba South 1, 60 km off the Capo Delgado coast.

The well encountered 200 m (656 ft) of gas pay in stacked multiple high-quality Oligocene, Eocene, and Paleocene sands, says Eni. The discovery proves there is hydraulic communication with the Oligocene reservoir in Mamba North East 1 and with those of the Eocene age in Mamba North East 1 and Mamba South 1, through a unique gas column of 460 m (1,509 ft). Lastly, Mamba North East 2 has identified a new exploration play in the Paleocene located exclusively in Area 4.

Eni is the operator of Area 4 with a 70% participating interest. The other partners of the joint venture are GalpEnergia (10%), KOGAS (10%), and ENH (10%, carried through the exploration phase). Area 4 covers 17,646 sq km (6,813 sq mi) with water depths to 2,600 m (8,530 ft).

8/01/2012