Lukoil Completes Savannah Well Drilling (Sierra Leone)

Lukoil Completes Savannah Well Drilling (Sierra Leone)

LUKOIL Overseas, operator of international upstream projects and a 100% subsidiary of LUKOIL, completed drilling of the first exploration well on Savannah structure (SL-5-11 deepwater block) offshore Sierra Leone.

The well depth is more than 4,700 m, water depth at the drilling site exceeds 2,000 m. Drilling was accomplished using Ocean Rig Eirik Raude, world’s largest self-propelled offshore platform of the 5th generation. Platform’s height is 122 m, length is 119 m, width is 85 m, and displacement is 53 thousand tons, velocity is 7 knots, crew is 120 persons.

Drilling was completed according to the schedule, with no violations of safety or environmental requirements, in strict adherence to the contractual obligations. The set objectives were achieved: targeted prospects were penetrated, oil saturated reservoirs were identified; oil samples were taken from the Turonian sands. Currently, the appraisal of potential hydrocarbon deposits is being performed. The results of this appraisal, as well as other data obtained while drilling, will undergo comprehensive analysis and classification. This work scheduled to be completed by the end of this year is aimed to expand the information available on the geological structure and petroleum potential of Sierra-Leonian – Liberian basin.

In 2011, LUKOIL Overseas as the Operator with a 49% share entered the PSA for exploration and development of SL-5-11 block. This block, covering an area of 4,022 square kilometers, is located on the shelf and continental slope of the Atlantic Ocean at a water depth ranging from 100 to 3,300 meters. A standard contract for exploration and development of the block was concluded for the term of 30 years by project participants, including Oranto (30%) and PanAtlantic (21%). The minimum exploration program includes re-interpretation of historical seismic data, an electric exploration survey and drilling of one exploration well.

Due to the importance of this program as an organic part of LUKOIL broad-scale drilling campaign in West Africa, the ceremonial launch of drilling in SL-5-11 block in September 2013 was attended by Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone, Guennady Gatilov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, and Andrey Kuzyaev, President of LUKOIL Overseas.
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Press Release, October 23, 2013