CAMEROON: Victoria Oil & Gas Awarded Matanda Licence Extension
Victoria Oil & Gas Plc, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Gaz du Cameroun S.A. (“GDC”) has received, as operator, approval from the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development for the extension of the Matanda Block licence.
The exploration phase of the licence has been extended by one year from 17 December 2020. This has been approved by the Minister and a Presidential Decree will follow in accordance with the regulations in due course.
GDC was assigned 75% ownership and became operator of the Matanda PSC in December 2018 with Afex Global Limited (“AFEX”) holding the remaining 25%. Société Nationale Des Hydrocarbures (“SNH”) has a 25% back in right after an Exploitation License is granted. The 1,235 square kilometre block Matanda Block is adjacent to GDC’s Logbaba concession, offering an easy monetisation route for gas discoveries.
The project has progressed well in the first two years of GDC’s involvement, and notably in July 2020 the Company was pleased to report a material increase in management’s estimate of Prospective Resources, onshore Matanda. Gross unrisked, mean Prospective Resources increased to 1,196 Bcf in the Matanda Licence (onshore) from the previously reported 903 Bcf (ERCL Consultants Evaluation: ‘Prospectivity and Volumetrics Report, Matanda Block, Cameroon’, 2017).
This increase was the result of a detailed internal prospect evaluation which identified 19 gas prospects in shallower Tertiary-aged reservoirs, plus 7 prospects in deeper, Cretaceous-aged prospects. The Company believes the larger of these prospects has mean unrisked, Prospective Resources of over 65 Bcf, with geological Chance of Success estimated at better than 40%.
This year, the Company has been carrying out the all-important Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (“ESIA”), an exercise which included engagement with local communities, and one that also demonstrated that we can access all areas of the licence, noting that the license is not densely populated and consists mainly of plantations and mangrove forests. This ESIA is scheduled for completion in Q1 2021 and will ensure that all aspects of risks to the environment and social factors will have been assessed and necessary precautions taken, in accordance with the requisite rules and regulations, to guarantee minimal impact on the environment ahead of drilling preparation. The work programme requires the drilling of an exploration well and the company will shortly be finalising the ranking of the significant onshore prospects.
Commenting today Roy Kelly, CEO of VOG, said :
“We are extremely pleased to have received this extension for one year. The first well will undoubtedly be in the onshore area where nearby wells in the Bomono license have derisked the shallower plays, and proximity to the GDC-operated gas distribution infrastructure allows easier monetisation of discoveries. We are further encouraged by the ESIA that will soon be completed. We thank the Minister and also SNH for expediting this extension.”