HOUSTON, Feb. 7 -- Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Calgary, has begun production from one well at Espoir field on CI-26 off Ivory Coast at 8,500 b/d of oil.
Production to the floating production, storage, and offloading vessel Espoir Ivoirien will increase to 30,000 b/d by the end of the third quarter as six more wells are completed from the East Espoir wellhead tower.
Production of associated gas should rise to 30 MMcfd, said CNRL, which estimates the field has recoverable reserves of 93 million bbl of oil and 180 bcf of gas. Production will be sold for power generation in Abidjan.
Partners in the field are studying a second phase of development that would include installing another wellhead tower and drilling in the western lobe of the reservoir. Also, CI-26 contains separate satellite prospects that could be tied-into the 40,000-b/d capacity Espoir Ivoirien.
CNRL owns 58.67% of Espoir field. Ivory Coast government-affiliated Petroci Holding owns 20%, and Tullow Cote d'Ivoire Ltd. owns 21.33%.
