Canadian minnow, ReconAfrica, has initially identified five drillable prospects (including sidetracking of the 6-2 well) and eighteen leads in the first of five sub-basins, in the 8.5Million acre-sized Kavango basin.
The company integrated the two dimensional (2D) seismic data it acquired, with the results of the first two stratigraphic test wells it drilled in the basin, “and established a significant rift basin similar to the other major petroleum provinces/rift basins including onshore Africa, and areas of the North Sea”.
The initial exploration and development is being conducted in the first of five sub-basins, it says.
“Thus far, the integrated interpretation has established three groups of hydrocarbon opportunities (“Plays”), including:
- Primary: Karoo Rift Fill (Light Oil)
- Secondary: Intra-Rift Fault Blocks (Light Oil)
- Secondary: Damara Fold Belt (NEW PLAY, Gas/Gas Condensate)
- The work has initially identified five drillable prospects (including sidetracking of the 6-2 well) and eighteen leads in the first of five sub-basins. These leads will potentially be matured to drillable prospects driven by the second phase of 2D seismic acquisition currently underway.
- Six potential reservoir and four potential source rock intervals have been established in the basin so far. Initial thermal analysis indicates the lower Karoo Rift Fill source rocks should be in the light oil maturation interval.
- New Play established: Interpretation of the first phase of seismic data also identified a new play, the Damara Fold Belt, that was not anticipated in the original studies of the Kavango Basin. These structures as illustrated by the seismic example, delineated in purple, in the Play Map appear coherent, mappable and potentially large.
- Termed ASF-1 on the Play Map, an active combustible gas seep was found that is clearly thermogenic hydrocarbons and part of an active petroleum system, as confirmed by third party analysis. It also supports the concept of potentially more than one source rock system, including both light oil and gas/gas condensate.
- For 2022 ReconAfrica plans to initiate a multi-well drilling programme, beginning with three test wells and a sidetrack of the 6-2 well. These will be the first wells drilled into seismically defined traps with the objective to prove commerciality of this petroleum system. The Company and relevant governmental authorities are advancing drilling permits with a target to spud the first of the three wells in Q2 2022.
- The Phase 2 seismic acquisition (approximately 600 kms) is ongoing with good progress to date, emphasizing prospect definition and extension into new areas to the east and south.
