Sasol to start Mozambique gas drilling programme in third quarter
Thématique :
mozambique,
sud afrique
South African petrochemicals firm Sasol would start driling at its hydrocarbon exploration project offshore Mozambique, in the third quarter of this year, the company said on Wednesday.
Should the drilling campaign be successful, Sasol planned to supply the natural gas to markets in Mozambique and South Africa.
The announcment followed the completion of the drilling and towing contract with the Mozambican State oil company, Empresa Naçional de Hidrocarbonetos E.P (ENH), to pursue the hydrocarbon project.
Sasol had signed a lease agreement for a mobile offshore drilling unit with Transocean Offshore International Ventures. The two towing and anchor handling vessels to support the rig would be supplied by Varun Shipping Company. The rig and vessels were expected to arrive in Mozambique towards the end of August.
“The drilling of explorations wells will take place in deep water, well away from the shallow environmentally sensitive waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago. Safety and protection of the environment will be key to the drilling exploration programme that is expected to be completed by year end,” said group general manager for Sasol’s international energy cluster Lean Strauss.
Sasol Petroleum Sofala Limitada and ENH are the concession holders of Blocks 16 and 19 offshore Mozambique. The exploration area covers about 11 000 km2 and is directly opposite Sasol’s existing onshore gas operations at Pande and Temane.
“The drilling campaign is a further demonstration of our commitment to upstream development in Mozambique and the technical and commercial ability of Sasol to execute upstream exploration projects,” Strauss added.
Should the drilling campaign be successful, Sasol planned to supply the natural gas to markets in Mozambique and South Africa.
The announcment followed the completion of the drilling and towing contract with the Mozambican State oil company, Empresa Naçional de Hidrocarbonetos E.P (ENH), to pursue the hydrocarbon project.
Sasol had signed a lease agreement for a mobile offshore drilling unit with Transocean Offshore International Ventures. The two towing and anchor handling vessels to support the rig would be supplied by Varun Shipping Company. The rig and vessels were expected to arrive in Mozambique towards the end of August.
“The drilling of explorations wells will take place in deep water, well away from the shallow environmentally sensitive waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago. Safety and protection of the environment will be key to the drilling exploration programme that is expected to be completed by year end,” said group general manager for Sasol’s international energy cluster Lean Strauss.
Sasol Petroleum Sofala Limitada and ENH are the concession holders of Blocks 16 and 19 offshore Mozambique. The exploration area covers about 11 000 km2 and is directly opposite Sasol’s existing onshore gas operations at Pande and Temane.
“The drilling campaign is a further demonstration of our commitment to upstream development in Mozambique and the technical and commercial ability of Sasol to execute upstream exploration projects,” Strauss added.
