By Ejekwu Chidiebere
Eni told Energy Window International (Media) in an email that the exploration drilling it carried out with the Murene South-1X well in Block CI-501, offshore Côte d’Ivoire has resulted in a significant gas and condensate discovery. It was the first exploration well in Block CI-501 offshore Côte d’Ivoire according to Eni.
The discovery, named Calao South, confirms, Eni says, the potential of the Calao channel complex that includes also the Calao discovery and represents the second largest in the country after Baleine, with estimated volumes of up to 5.0 Tcf of gas and 450 million barrels of condensate (approximately 1.4 billion barrels of oil). Eni said the discovery was made in high-quality Cenomanian sands.
Eni says it is the operator of Block CI-501 (90%), in partnership with Petroci Holding (10%). Murene South-1X according the Italian energy firm is located approximately 8km southwest of Murene-1X discovery well in the adjacent CI-205 block. Drilled by the Saipem Santorini drilling ship to a total depth of around 5,000 meters in a 2,200 meter water depth, the well underwent an extensive data acquisition campaign. Murene South-1X confirmed the main hydrocarbon bearing interval with a gross thickness of around 50 meters, with excellent petrophysical properties. Murene South-1X will undergo a full conventional drill stem test (DST) to assess the production capacity of the Calao discovery, Italian Eni has said.
The Baleine field currently produces over 62 thousand barrels of oil and more than 75 million cubic feet of gas per day from Phases 1 and 2, Eni said, adding that with the launch of Phase 3, production is expected to rise to 150 thousand barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas per day, which also according to the major, reinforces Baleine field as a key asset in meeting Côte d’Ivoire’s domestic energy needs.
Eni says it has been active in Côte d’Ivoire since 2015. It said that besides block CI-501, it also holds interests in nine other exploration blocks: CI-205, CI-504, CI-526, CI-706, CI-707, CI-708, in partnership with Petroci Holding, and CI-401, CI-801, CI-802 and Baleine AEE (in partnership with Petroci Holding, Vitol and SOCAR – contingent upon Governmental approvals).