Successful Ngisi drilling upgrades resources in Block 4
03 July, 2013
Ophir Energy plc ("Ophir" or "the Company") announces the
successful results of its Ngisi drilling programme, Block 4
Tanzania and the upgrade of the recoverable resource across the
Chewa-Pweza-Ngisi hub in Block 4 to 4.5 TCF. Ophir holds 40% of
Blocks 1, 3 and 4. BG Group operates with 60%.
Highlights
- Ngisi gas discovery
- Successful appraisal of the Chewa gas field
- Confirmation of feasibility and impact of drilling highly
deviated wells
- Continuation of Tanzanian exploration programme with the
Mkizi-1 well in Block 1
Ngisi discovery, successful Chewa appraisal and resource
upgrade
The Ngisi-1 well was drilled by the Deepsea Metro I drillship
approximately 5km to the North East of the Chewa-1 well. It was
designed to appraise the Chewa gas discovery drilled in 2010 and to
penetrate the Ngisi exploration prospect. On completion of the
initial well, two sidetracks were undertaken to further delineate
both Chewa and Ngisi. Gas pay was encountered in the Ngisi prospect
within a high net to gross reservoir interval. The penetrations
into the Chewa reservoir also encountered gas pay as prognosed and
confirmed widespread, excellent reservoir characteristics. As a
result, these wells have increased the mean recoverable resource of
the Chewa-Pweza-Ngisi hub from 3.7 TCF to 4.5 TCF, in excess of
pre-drill expectations, in addition to derisking exploration upside
in several nearby targets.
This drilling result has also further demonstrated the
feasibility of drilling highly deviated wells which will be
incorporated into development planning of the assets. Ophir and BG
Group successfully drilled their first deviated well in December
2012 in the Jodari Field.
Forward Tanzanian exploration and appraisal
programme
The Deepsea Metro I drillship has now moved to drill the Mkizi-1
exploration well in Block 1. Mkizi is a 0.6 TCF prospect of
Tertiary age, close to the Jodari discovery. After Mkizi, appraisal
of the Block 4 Pweza discovery is planned.
Nick Cooper, CEO, commented:
"The successful Ngisi drilling results provide critical mass
for the aggregation and development of the gas discoveries in Block
4. These will be piped ashore and combined with the Block 1
resources for Tanzania's LNG development."