Angola’s state-owned oil company Sonangol and its partner, ANPG, have successfully drilled an appraisal well offshore Angola that confirmed strong reservoir potential for both oil and gas production.
Sonangol and ANPG announced the successful completion of drilling and testing operations at the Katambi-2 appraisal well in Block 24 of the Benguela Basin.
The Katambi-2 well encountered two productive intervals and confirmed good-quality reservoirs, with better reservoir characteristics than those found at the Katambi-1 well, which BP drilled more than a decade ago. BP later returned its stake to the Angolan state after determining that the discovery was not commercially viable.
Sonangol and ANPG drilled Katambi-2 about 1.3 kilometres from the Katambi-1 well.
Initial tests at Katambi-2 recorded a stabilized production rate of 1,160 barrels per day of condensate and 41 million standard cubic feet per day of gas. The well showed no water or hydrogen sulfide, supporting the potential commercial development of the discovery and its contribution to national production.
Sonangol and ANPG also conducted Angola’s first full drill stem test on a non-associated gas reservoir at Katambi-2. Preliminary results indicate that the well could produce more than 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
Angola is working to reverse years of declining oil production while developing its non-associated gas resources. The country is also seeking to attract more offshore oil and gas exploration and development.
Last year, Angola’s crude oil production fell below 1 million barrels per day for the first time in two and a half years and since the country left OPEC in January 2024.
In recent months, however, crude production has stabilized at around 1.1 million barrels per day. Earlier this year, BP and Eni’s joint venture, Azule Energy, also started production from Angola’s first non-associated gas development.
source: oilprice.com
African Energy Council