Italian oil major Eni has announced a new oil discovery in Block 15/06, in the Kalimba exploration prospect, in Angola’s deep offshore. The new discovery is estimated to contain between 230 and 300 million barrels of light oil in place.

The Kalimba-1 NFW well, which has led to the discovery, is located at approximately 150 km off the coast and 50 km South East from the Armada Olombendo FPSO (East Hub). The well was drilled by the West Gemini drillship in a water depth of 458 meters and reached a total depth of 1901 meters.

The discovery opens new opportunities for oil exploration in the Southern part of Block 15/06, so far considered mainly gas prone, thus creating new chances for additional potential value in the block, Eni said.

The joint venture, composed by Eni (operator, 36.8421 per cent), Sonangol P&P (36.8421 per cent) and SSI Fifteen Limited (26.3158 per cent), will work to appraise the updip of the discovery and will start the studies to fast track its development.

Angola is a key Country in the strategy for organic growth of Eni, which has been present in the Country since 1980 and accounts currently an equity production of about 155,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

In Block 15/06 the two oil development projects, West hub and East Hub, are currently producing about 150,000 barrels of oil per day (100 per cent).  Eni is also operator of Cabinda Norte Block, located onshore Angola. – TradeArabia News Service