Offshore staff
EDINBURGH, UK– Cairn Energy and its partners have submitted a three-year evaluation work plan to the government of Senegal following their two deepwater discoveries in 2014.
The initial program includes three firm and three optional exploration and appraisal wells, with drilling due to start this fall focused on the acreage around the SNE-1 discovery well.
Cairn estimates thatSNE-1 and FAN-1, five other identified prospects, and 18 leads have a combined resource base of more than 1 Bbbl.
The seventh-generation dual-activity drillshipOcean Rig Athena will conduct the campaign. It is currently contracted to ConocoPhillips offshore Angola, but Cairn is closer to finalizing the rig contract and associated support services.
The firm three-well program will include two appraisal wells on SNE-1, which are designed to core and test the reservoir, and one shelf exploration well.
In addition the partners plan a 2,000-sq km (772-sq mi) 3D seismic acquisition campaign over the Sangomar and Rufisque blocks to help map the prospectivity of the contract area.
A work program and budget for the three optional wells will be presented to joint venture partners this summer. Targets will be based on further evaluation of SNE-1, additional exploration in the shelf region, and exploration in the acreage around FAN-1.
Drilling plans for these wells will be subject to ongoing FAN studies and the results of the first three firm wells.
05/11/2015
