Senegal will this month launch the country’s first offshore licensing round, comprising ten blocks.
Senegal will this month launch the country’s first offshore licensing round, comprising ten blocks.
The MSGBC Basin is home to several recent high-profile oil and gas discoveries, set in a variety of play types, both on and off the carbonate shelf. These include the Albian sandstone shelf edge SNE oil field — the largest global discovery of 2014 — the 25 tcf Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project — the largest gas discovery of 2015 — and the Lower Cenomanian sandstone basin floor fan Yakaar-1 gas well — the largest global discovery of 2017. All are located offshore Senegal, within ~100 km of the Dakar Peninsula.
TGS holds a range of data across this acreage to support the licensing round, including 2D seismic, 3D seismic, multibeam and seafloor sampling data. The company is also currently acquiring additional 3D seismic data to provide potential bidders with a greater subsurface understanding ahead of bid submissions.
The national oil company of Senegal, Petrosen, said that exploration activity in the region has been limited. Two new wells are to be spudded in 2020 in AGC and Guinea-Bissau, south of Senegal and in close proximity to blocks in the upcoming licensing round. The Wolverine-1 (CNOOC) and the Atum and Anchova (Svenska/FAR) prospects will target shelf edge plays and give vital information about similar plays in the open blocks. The majority of the blocks and acreage offered are in ultra-deepwater, as operators plan to target the large, clean, well-sorted sands of the unrestricted basin floor.
The round will be open for six months.
