Ophir Energy discovers 1.03TCF of gas in Tanzania’s Kamba and Fulusi prospects

Ophir Energy has  announced Kamba-1 well in Block 4 has resulted in gas discoveries of 1.03TCF in the Kamba and Fulusi prospects.

The well was drilled by the Deepsea Metro I drillship in a water depth of 1,379m to a total depth of 3,969m with the twin objectives of intersecting the Paleocene-aged Fulusi prospect (a northern extension of the earlier Pweza discovery) and the primary target of the Cretaceous-aged Kamba prospect.

The Kamba-1 well encountered an 18m gross gas column in the Fulusi prospect and, after sidetracking to test the Kamba prospect, the Kamba-1ST well established another gas column of 140m with high net to gross, good quality, reservoir sands.

Ophir says the well has encountered better quality reservoir sands than prognosed pre-drill and further analysis is expected to confirm discovered volumes somewhat in excess of the pre-drill estimated mean (2C) recoverable resources of 1.03TCF, comprised of 650bcf in Kamba and 380bcf in Fulusi.

The Kamba-1 discovery is the Joint Venture’s 16th consecutive discovery well in Blocks 1, 3 and 4.

This discovery, plus recent volume updates on the earlier discoveries, increases Ophir’s estimate of the total Block 1, 3 and 4 mean (2C) recoverable resource to 17.1TCF.

The Kamba-1 result provides critical mass for an LNG train to be supplied from the fields in Block 4 and also takes the overall resource volume to the threshold for a future potential third LNG train to be from Blocks 1 and 4.

“The Kamba discovery has now confirmed sufficient aggregate resource in Block 4 to supply one 5MMTPA train of LNG. In combination with the discovered resource in Block 1, the Block 1 and 4 Joint Venture is now close to the threshold resource volumes for three 5MMTPA LNG trains,” said Ophir CEO Nick Cooper.

The Kamba-1 well represents the Joint Venture’s final well in this current drilling campaign.

The Deepsea Metro I drillship will remain in Tanzania and now moves to drill two operated wells for Ophir in the East Pande and Block 7 PSCs.

BG operates the Block 4 licence and Ophir holds a 20% interest.