By Alex MacDonald
LONDON--U.K.-listed Ophir Energy PLC (OPHR.LN) said Thursday it
has discovered enough natural gas at another well on Tanzania's
offshore Kamba and Fulusi prospects to consider building three
liquefied natural gas trains for its gas discoveries in the
region.
The West and East Africa-focused oil and gas explorer said the
Kamba-1 well at Block 4 found 1.03 trillion cubic feet of natural
gas within the Kamba and Fulusi prospects. BG Group PLC (BG.LN)
operates the Block 4 license where Ophir holds a 20% interest.
The Kamba-1 discovery is the 16th consecutive discovery well in
Blocks 1, 3 and 4 and increases Ophir's estimate of the total
recoverable resources from Blocks 1, 3 and 4 to 17.1 trillion cubic
feet.
"The Kamba discovery has now confirmed sufficient aggregate
resource in Block 4 to supply one 5 million-per-annum train of LNG.
In combination with the discovered resource in Block 1, the Block 1
and 4 Joint Venture is now close to the threshold resource volumes
for three 5 million ton-per-annum LNG trains," said Ophir's chief
executive Nick Cooper.
Ophir also said it will start drilling imminently at the Tende-1
well on Tanzania's offshore East Pande license in which it holds a
70% stake. After completing the Tende-1 well, the Deepsea Metro I
rig will move to Block 7, in which Ophir owns an 80% interest, to
drill the Mkuki-1 well.
Ophir and Pavilion Energy have also said they will conduct
further exploration on Tanzania's Block 3 after BG Group decided to
withdraw from the block. Ophir will once again become the block's
operator this month, once BG exits. It will hold an 80% stake in
the block while Pavilion Energy will retain a 20% stake.
-Write to Alex MacDonald at alex.macdonald@wsj.com
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