Total nears South African well spud

French oil major Total expects to spud the Luiperd-1 well located in Block 11B/12B offshore South Africa by the end of this month.

Total hired the Deepsea Stavanger rig for operations in its operated Block 11B/12B last year.

The rig was mobilized from Norway to South Africa for Total’s drilling campaign back in early July.

Africa Energy, one of Total’s partners in the block, said on Thursday that the Luiperd-1 well is expected to spud by the end of August 2020 and will target a large submarine fan prospect within the same sequence as Brulpadda discovery.

According to Africa Energy, the rig is currently in Cape Town, South Africa.

The company also said that the Block 11B/12B joint venture recently received the fast-track 2D seismic dataset from Shearwater for the 7,033 linear kilometre 2D seismic program completed this year.

Initial interpretative work has confirmed the Kloofpadda Play Trend, which consists of several large and encouraging leads.

The JV also recently received the fast-track 3D seismic dataset from PGS for the 2,305 square kilometre 3D seismic program completed this year. Initial interpretive work has identified a number of additional leads, including a potential northern extension to the Luiperd Prospect.

Total is the operator and has a 45 per cent interest in Block 11B/12B, while Qatar Petroleum and CNR International have 25 per cent and 20 per cent interests, respectively.

Africa Energy holds 49 per cent of the shares in Main Street 1549 Proprietary Limited, which has a 10 per cent participating interest in Block 11B/12B.