Angola's ANPG, ExxonMobil and Block 15 partners announce new offshore discovery
XOM•New discovery at Vicango Este-01 in Block 15
CAPE TOWN, Sept. 9 (Reuters) - Angola's National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG), ExxonMobil XOM.N and partners in Angola's offshore Block 15 on Wednesday announced a new oil discovery at the Vicango Este-01 exploration well.
- The new discovery was made in Block 15, a deepwater offshore block that has been one of Angola's most productive oil-producing areas.
- The well, located about 370 km (230 miles) northwest of the capital Luanda, was drilled to a depth of 940 metres (3,085 ft) and encountered around 25 metres of high-quality sandstone containing hydrocarbons, the companies said in a joint statement.
- The discovery is the 20th in Block 15, which has produced more than 2.7 billion barrels of oil over the past 30 years, the statement said.
ExxonMobil and Angola highlight value of existing infrastructure
"Block 15 has been one of Angola's most significant deepwater developments, and discoveries like this help increase the value of existing infrastructure while supporting future production opportunities," ExxonMobil Angola CEO Brian Unietis said.
Angola, Sub-Saharan Africa's second-biggest crude oil producer after Nigeria, has undertaken a major regulatory overhaul to encourage exploration investment as it looks to maintain production levels amid mature offshore fields.
