Africa Energy Corp (AEC), an Africa-focused oil and gas company with exploration assets offshore South Africa and Namibia, has announced spud of the Luiperd-1X well, the second exploration well on Block 11B/12B offshore South Africa
The Luiperd-1X exploration well is being drilled in 1,795 m of water by the Odfjell Deepsea Stavanger semi-submersible rig to a total depth of 3,550 m subsea. The well will test the oil and gas potential in a mid-Cretaceous aged deep marine sequence where fan sandstone systems are developed within combined stratigraphic/structural closure.
According to Africa Energy Corp, drilling and evaluation of the well is expected to be completed in the Q4 2020.
“The Outeniqua Basin offshore South Africa remains an under-explored, world-class hydrocarbon province. The Luiperd-1X well will test the eastern area of the Paddavissie Fairway on Block 11B/12B to follow-up on the Brulpadda discovery of gas condensate and light oil last year,” Jan Maier, Africa Energy's vice-president exploration, commented.
Africa Energy holds 49% of the shares in Main Street 1549 (Proprietary) Limited, which has a 10% participating interest in Block 11B/12B. Total E&P South Africa B.V. is operator and has a 45% participating interest in Block 11B/12B, while Qatar Petroleum International Upstream LLC and CNR International (South Africa) Limited have 25% and 20% participating interests, respectively, in Block 11B/12B.
Africa Energy has also signed definitive agreements to increase its effective interest in Block 11B/12B offshore South Africa from 4.9-10%. Block 11B/12B is located in the Outeniqua Basin 175km off the southern coast of South Africa. The block covers an area of approximately 19,000 sq km with water depths ranging from 200 to 1,800 m.
The Luiperd Prospect is the second to be drilled in a series of five large submarine fan prospects with direct hydrocarbon indicators defined utilising both 2D and 3D seismic data.
