Total makes significant discovery offshore South Africa

French oil company Total has made a significant gas condensate discovery at the Brulpadda prospect on Block 11B/12B offshore South Africa. 

Total started drilling the Brulpadda-1AX re-entry well in late December 2018, using the Deepsea Stavanger drilling rig.

The results of the well were announced on Thursday by Africa Energy Corp., which holds a 4.9% effective interest in the Exploration Right for Block 11B/12B.

The Brulpadda discovery is located on Block 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin 175 kilometers off the southern coast of South Africa. The block covers an area of 19,000 square kilometers with water depths ranging from 200 to 1,800 meters.

Africa Energy said that the Brulpadda well was drilled in approximately 1,400 meters of water by the Odfjell Deepsea Stavanger semi-submersible rig. The well targeted two objectives in a deep marine fan sandstone system within combined stratigraphic/structural closure. Following the success of the main objective, the well was deepened to a final depth of 3,633 meters and was successful in the Brulpadda-deep prospect.

According to Africa Energy, the well encountered a total of 57 meters of net gas condensate pay over two Lower Cretaceous high-quality reservoirs. Core samples were taken in the upper reservoir, and a comprehensive logging and sampling program was performed over both reservoirs.

Garrett Soden, Africa Energy’s President and CEO, commented, “The Brulpadda discovery opens a new world-class oil and gas play with substantial follow-on potential. The success at both the Brulpadda primary and secondary targets significantly de-risks four other similar prospects already identified on the existing 2D seismic. The Block 11B/12B partners plan to acquire 3D seismic this year, followed by up to four exploration wells.”

Africa Energy holds a 49% of the shares in Main Street 1549 Proprietary Limited, which has a 10% participating interest in Block 11B/12B. Total is the operator and has a 45% interest in Block 11B/12B, while Qatar Petroleum and Canadian Natural Resources Limited have 25% and 20% interests, respectively.

Opening a new gas and oil play

In a separate statement on Thursday Total confirmed that the Brulpadda well had encountered 57 meters of net gas condensate pay in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs.

“We are very pleased to announce the Brulpadda discovery which was drilled in a challenging deepwater environment,” said Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President Exploration at Total.

He added: “With this discovery, Total has opened a new world-class gas and oil play and is well positioned to test several follow-on prospects on the same block.”