Sitting pretty: more oil has been struck in Angola's Cabinda enclave
Cabinda onshore probe strikes oil
The Castanha-1 exploration well on the Cabinda South onshore block in Angola has struck about 15 metres of hydrocarbons in pre-salt sediments, project partner Roc Oil said today.
Roc said the well had been drilled to total depth of 3400 metres by operator Pluspetrol, with the potential pay being struck between depth of 2214 and 2229 metres.
It said wireline testing had confirmed the presence of oil, and plans were under way to run production tests.
Roc said the Coco-1 discovery well had been suspended after testing was completed. Roc spokesman Matthew Gerber told Upstreamonline the well had failed to flow oil to surface from any of the five zones tested.
The well was deemed uncommercial when it was drilled in 2008. Production tests then were hampered by downhole conditions and the well was re-entered in November 2009 for further testing.
“The result is not unexpected,” Gerber said. He said the equipment used to flow test the well would now be moved the the Castanha-1 well for planned production testing there.
The Castanha-1 well was spudded in November last year. The well is operated by Argentinian player Pluspetrol with a 45% stake, while Force Petroleum and Angolan state oil company Sonangol hold 20% each. Roc unit Lacula Oil holds 10% and Cuban state oil company Cuba Petroleo holds 5%.