Italy’s Eni has encountered a new oil and condensate discovery in the Marine XII block, offshore in the Congo.

The Nkala Marine prospect is located in Marine XII block, about 20km from the coast and 3km from the Nene Marine field, and is already in production.

Eni expects the Nkala Marine 1 pre-salt exploration well to have a potential of 250-350 MMboe in place.

“During the production test, the well provided over 300,000 cu m/d of gas and associated condensates. The well, drilled in a water depth of 38m, encountered a major gas and condensates buildup in the pre-salt clastic geological sequence of lower Cretaceous age, crossing a hydrocarbon column of 240m,” Eni said.

Evaluation of Nkala Marine through new delineation wells is expected to begin soon. In the interim, studies will begin for its commercial development, which is framed in a context of optimized exploitation of the oil and gas discoveries in the Marine XII permit.

Altogether, the Italian giant is estimating that the resources in place of oil and gas discoveries made in the pre-salt Marine XII block is to be about 5.8 billion boe. Production at the block, which began in December 2014, has increased and is averaging 15,000 boe/d.

Eni, through its subsidiary Eni Congo, is the operator of Marine XII block with a 65% stake. Partners include New Age (25%), and the Congolese state company SocietéNationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) (10%).

Source: www.oedigital.com