Angola’s sub-salt delivers with Orca

摘要

Angola’s sub-salt oil potential in the Kwanza offshore basin has increased with US independent Cobalt International’s Orca discovery.The Orca find—which partners Cobalt as operator with 40pc,BP at 30pc and Angolan state-owned Sonan-gol 30pc—in block 20 is estimated to surpass 700mn bl and is the country’s larg-est sub-salt oil discovery.Appraisal drill-ing is scheduled for next year. Orca is the latest Angolan sub-salt discovery,following the Cameia,Lontra, Mavinga,Bicuar and Azul discoveries. Norwegian state-controlled Statoil is pre-paring to start drilling this month at its closely watched Dilolo prospect in off-shore block 39.Block 39 partners include Statoil with 40pc,Sonangol 30pc,Total with 15pc and a joint venture of London-listed Genel Energy and private-sector firm White Rose Energy Ventures with the remainder.The block is south of Orca.