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SNH launches licensing round in Cameroon
Eco presents findings on offshore Namibia block ECO (ATLANTIC) OIL & Gas has submitted an initial evaluation report for the offshore Daniel license, block 2013B, to Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy. The 2,250-sq km concession is off the Skeleton Coast in the Walvis basin of Namibia. Eco Atlantic has a 90 per cent operated interest, in partnership with state-owned NAMCOR. Oil and gas rights were granted in August 2013. Eco Atlantic has reviewed existing 2D seismic and regional interpretations, and has concluded that the southeast corner of the block, on the eastern slope of the basin, has good exposure to the Cretaceous and Syn-Rift sections. Coo Colin Kinley said: “The newly established oil kitchen in the Walvis basin confirming light 40° API gravity oil; the oil shows onshore on the Daniel clock which prompted the drilling of the Toscanini well; and the slicks evident in the region from the Fugro oil slick study that was completed for Eco, all indicate that oil is migrating through the block from the deeper kitchen and that further work is warranted to find a suitable trap and seal. “We still have significant work to do and further study is required, with shallow water depths and shallow drilling depths...”
Simba inks Guinea farm-out deal CANADIAN JUNIOR SIMBA Energy is farming out a large portion of its holding in a pair of onshore blocks in Guinea. The explorer has signed a letter of intent with a private player to farm out up to 45 per cent of its holding in blocks 1 and 2 in the Bove basin. The unidentified Calgary-based buyer will initially take a 25 per cent stake and conduct an airborne full tensor gravity gradiometry survey over a minimum of 9000 sq km for an initial investment of US$4.5mn. The farminee will then have an option to take a further 20 per cent stake and carry out a 2D seismic survey, costing another US$20mn. Once the seismic data is collated, the partners will then decide to either drill a wildcat or seek a farm out. www.oilreviewafrica.com
FRONTIER RESOURCES HAS confirmed oil in its acreage in the Owambo basin in northern Namibia. The company completed a soil gas survey to determine if any of the source rocks were hydrocarbon-bearing. Samples were sent to Houston and analysed by Exploration Technologies. "The results show the presence of anomalous, above background levels of methane, ethane, propane and butane gases which, by both their magnitudes and ratios, confirm the existence of one or more oil generating source rocks within the licence area,” the company said. “Based upon the results of this initial survey and the fact that the samples were acquired only along widely spaced roads and tracks, Frontier plans to extend the licence period so that additional sampling may take place during 2014.” Frontier’s blocks 1717 and 1817 cover an area of about 18,922 sq km. Frontier is the operator of the blocks with a 90 per cent working interest, while the Namibian National Oil Company has a 10 per cent carried interest in the licence.
Magnetic Instrumentation for Drilling and Geological Exploration
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Oil Review Africa Issue One 2014 51
E&P
CAMEROON HAS OPENED a new bidding round for four oil blocks, according to its state oil firm, the National Hydrocarbons Corporation, SNH. The Central African country currently pumps less than 100,000 bpd, far below its peak of 185,000 bpd in the mid-1980s. Sinopec-Addax and French oil firm Perenco are producing while Kosmos is exploring. SNH said the licensing round was for the Bomana, Lungahe and Ndian River blocks in the Rio del Rey Basin and the Manyu block in the Mamfe Basin. They include onshore and offshore acreage. The deadline for submissions is June 26 and the results will be released in mid-July, SNH said. The purpose is to conclude a Production Sharing contract (PSC) within the framework of the Cameroon Petroleum Code and its enabling acts, for the exploration, appraisal, development and exploitation of hydrocarbons within those four blocks. The Bomana and Lungahe Blocks are within very close proximity to existing oil producing fields and have 3D seismic data coverage, as well as hydrocarbons discovery wells. Those two blocks are in Conventional Petroleum Operations Zones, as defined by the Petroleum Code. The Ndian River Block has 2D seismic data coverage as well as identified leads; and is located in shallow water, near-shore. and mangrove and inland environments. The Manyu Block is covered by inland forest and neither has seismic coverage nor well data. These two blocks are qualified as "Special Petroleum Operations Zone" as defined by the Petroleum Bode. In accordance with the Petroleum Code, Bomana and Lungahe blocks will be licensed for an initial period of up to three years, renewable twice, for periods of two years each, while the Ndian River anti Manyu Blacks will be licensed for an initial period of up to one year renewable twice (or a period of two years each).
Frontier confirms oil in Namibia