UK-listed oil and gas company Afren is on course to spud Ogo-1 at the oil prospective lease (OPL) 310 in the Benin Basin, offshore Nigeria
The well will be drilled by GSF Monitor, a jack-up rig, to a planned depth of 3,536m. The drilling site is 24km from Lagos coastline.
The location is in the West African Transform Margin and the drill will be probing targets of Turomanian and Cenomanian age, which are the same as those targeted in offshore Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire. The difference is that Ogo-1, at a depth of 100m, is a shallow water prospect whereas the discoveries and oil produce in the neighbouring countries are in deepwater, often at a depth of 300m.
The Ogo-1 location is considered, however, very prospective by a number of Nigeria’s leading geoscientists.
A consultant earth scientist who gas earlier worked for Shell and Schlumberger, said, “The prospects look very good for Ogo-1; a key geological thesis is being tested with this well”.
The acreage of OPL 310 is held by Optimum Petroleum, a Nigerian exploration and production company. Afren is the technical and financing partner.