Norway’s Statoil said that the Mdalasini-1 exploration well has resulted in a new natural gas discovery offshore Tanzania, increasing prospects of the Tanzania LNG project.
The discovery of an additional 1.0-1.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in place in the Mdalasini-1 well, brings the total of in-place volumes up to approximately 22 tcf in Block 2, the company said in a statement.
The Mdalasini-1 discovery is located at a 2,296-metre water depth at the southernmost edge of the block. The new gas discovery has been made in Tertiary and Cretaceous sandstones.
“The Mdalasini-1 discovery marks the completion of the first phase of an efficient and successful multi-well exploration programme offshore Tanzania,” says N ick Maden, senior vice president for Statoil’s exploration activities in the Western Hemisphere .
He added that, since the start of the programme in February 2012, 13 wells have been drilled and eight discoveries made, including Mdalasini-1.
“We still see prospectivity in the area, but after appraising the Tangawizi-1 high-impact discovery, which was made in March 2013, there will be a pause in the drilling to evaluate the next steps and to mature new prospects,” adds Maden.
Statoil has drilled the Mdalasini-1 well with a 100% working interest. Previously Statoil and co-venturer ExxonMobil have made seven discoveries in Block 2, including the five high-impact gas discoveries Zafarani-1, Lavani-1, Tangawizi-1, Mronge-1 and Piri-1, as well as the discoveries in Lavani-2 and Gilligiliani-1.
Statoil operates the licence on Block 2 on behalf of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and has a 65% working interest.
ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania holds the remaining 35%. TPDC has the right to a 10% working interest in case of a development phase.
Image. Statoil