Another gas find
Kosmos Energy has made another significant gas discovery on its Senegalese acreage with the Yakaar 1 deepwater new field wildcat. Drilled in 2,550m of water in the Cayar Offshore Profond block, the well lies about 100 km west-north-west of the capital, Dakar, and is 20 km south-west of the recent large gas discoveries of the Greater Tortue area on the Mauritania/Senegal border, which are believed to hold a gross resource of more than 24 Tcf.
The well was drilled to 4,700m in 2,550m water depth and encountered a gross hydrocarbon column of 120m in three pools within the primary Lower Cenomanian objective and 45m net pay. Well results confirm the presence of thick, stacked, reservoir sands over a large area with very good porosity and permeability. Kosmos estimates Pmean gas resources from Yakaar 1 to be about 15 Tcfg, in-line with pre-drill expectations. Preliminary analysis of gas samples conducted on the rig suggest a condensate-to-gas ratio of approximately 15–30 bc/MMscfg. An appraisal program to delineate the discovery is currently being planned.
The Atwood Oceanics Atwood Achiever drillship which drilled Yakaar will now undertake a DST on the Tortue discovery, to enable the commencement of FEED activities in H2 2017. Kosmos then plans to drill several more wells over its Senegal and Mauritania acreage. Yakaar follows five successful gas wells drilled by Kosmos across Senegal and Mauritania since 2014; Tortue 1 (also known as Ahmeyim 1), Marsouin 1, Ahmeyim 2, Guembeul 1 and Teranga 1. The Greater Tortue gas field is estimated by Kosmos to contain a Pmean gross resource of >25 Tcfg. An FLNG project is planned, and Kosmos believes that resources from Teranga 1 and Yakaar 1 together will provide enough gas to support a second LNG hub. BP farmed into the blocks in February 2017, acquiring equity and operatorship of future development projects from Kosmos, and in April 2017 it agreed to acquire an additional 30% equity from Timis Corp. Following the completion of this transaction, equity will be split BP (57.49%), Kosmos (32.51%) and Petrosen (10%). Kosmos remains the operator of the exploration phase.
