ERHC Energy Inc (ERHE)

[RUBY1100]

*** Upstream ** Update ** JDZ

Addax Petroleum will shortly finish drilling wildcat Malanza-1X in the Nigeria and Sao Tome & Principe joint development zone, writes Barry Morgan.

JDZ probe closes in on finish

Friday, 04 December, 2009, 01:15 GMT

The well on Block 4 was the fourth to be spudded this year in the JDZ. The Transocean unit Deepwater Pathfinder will mobilise immediately to spud the Oki East prospect, also in Block 4, according to a senior Abuja-based official.

The Deepwater Pathfinder earlier drilled Kina-1 on the same licence.

Results from earlier probes, including Sinopec’s Bomu-1 on Block 2 and Lemba-1X on ?Anadarko-operated Block 3, will be announced before the end of this year.

Sentiment within the Joint Development Authority is said to be “positive and optimistic” with one source volunteering that preliminary indications were for more gas than oil in several of the wells.

Officials would not be drawn on results but suggested efforts have been “more successful” than Chevron’s Obo-1 wildcat on Block 1 several years ago.

Sinopec has proposed to take over Addax and the deal is undergoing official scrutiny in Nigeria.


Published: 04 December 2009 | Last updated: 04 December 2009