Angola’s Block 16 Renewed Interest through TGS’s Seismic Reprocessing

TGS has completed reprocessing seismic data for Angola’s Block 16 to stimulate exploration interest. Collaboration with ANPG has yielded enhanced imaging capabilities, highlighting underexplored areas. Recent evaluations have identified oil recovery potential in Block 16, indicating strong opportunities for success in future exploration efforts.

Norwegian seismic company TGS has recently reprocessed data on Angola’s deepwater Block 16, aiming to rekindle interest in this previously overlooked area. Their completion of the Block 16 GeoStreamer MC3D seismic dataset was carried out in collaboration with the Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG). Recent years have witnessed a revival in exploration within the Lower Congo Basin, marked by several significant discoveries being rapidly brought into production.

This rejuvenation initiative, covering 3,684 square kilometers, employs advanced depth processing techniques to enhance imaging beyond the original dataset. Such capabilities facilitate a deeper examination of both post-salt and pre-salt target play areas. Despite being largely underexplored since the early 2010s, with the last well drilled in 2013, Block 16 is poised for a potential resurgence in activity.

Previously, notable oil and gas discoveries in Block 16 were confined to the Bengo (1994) and Longa (1995) Upper Miocene finds. However, TGS has noted that a fresh evaluation of wells in the Lower Congo Basin has unveiled oil recovery potential from Upper Miocene reservoirs located in the southern section. This new survey also partially encompasses the Tchihumba field, discovered in 2003, which harbors hydrocarbon-rich zones with an estimated recoverable volume of approximately 136 million barrels.

Additionally, the Lumpembe-1 oil discovery on Block 15/06, which was drilled in 2023 and is undergoing developmental studies, falls within the survey’s range. David Hajovsky, TGS’s Executive Vice President of Multi-Client, expressed confidence in the prospects for exploration success in the region, stating, “These accumulations, along with the proximity of significant neighboring discoveries, present strong opportunities for future exploration success.”

In recent endeavors, TGS has also enhanced its Fusion 3D seismic dataset offshore Sierra Leone, concentrating on the promising Vega prospect. The heightened exploration interest in South America has brought attention to Sierra Leone, positioning it as a new exploration frontier at a critical moment for international oil companies. Furthermore, TGS solidified its role as the exclusive provider of multi-client subsurface data in Mauritania through an agreement signed last year with the Ministère du Pétrole, des Mines et de l’Énergie.

The reprocessing of seismic data by TGS for Angola’s Block 16 represents a significant step towards revitalizing interest in this underexplored area. Enhanced imaging techniques and recent discoveries in the Lower Congo Basin signal promising opportunities for future exploration. The collaboration with ANPG and ongoing projects in the region underscore TGS’s commitment to fostering growth in Angola’s oil sector, paving the way for potential new discoveries.

Original Source: oilreviewafrica.com