Total finds oil offshore Cote d’Ivoire

Canadian Natural Resources Limited has announced that the Saphir-1XB well has encountered an accumulation of light oil in the deepwater frontier exploration play in Block CI-514 offshore Cote d’Ivoire.

The well was drilled by a semi-submersible rig in a water depth of 2,300 meters and reached a total depth of 4,655 meters. The well encountered a series of thick sands of approximately 350 meters, containing a hydrocarbon column of approximately 40 meters of light oil with 34 degree API gravity.

The well was plugged and the data gathered will now be evaluated to determine the extent of the accumulation and the forward plan for appraisal.

Vice President of Exploration for Canadian Natural’s International division, David Bell, said: “Saphir-1XB is an important discovery in a frontier part of deepwater offshore Cote d’Ivoire and has demonstrated a working petroleum system.”

Block CI-514 is operated by Total Exploration and Production, with a 54% working interest, along with CNR International at 36% and PETROCI at 10%.

“Drilled in an abrupt margin play, this first well is the first discovery in the San Pedro Basin, a frontier exploration area in Ivory Coast,” commented Marc Blaizot, Senior Vice President, Exploration at Total. “Having confirmed the presence of a petroleum system containing light oil, we will next evaluate this very promising find and focus on its extension to the north and east.”