White Nile completes South Sudan seismic operation
Nov 7, 2006 (LONDON) — White Nile announced Tuesday that the first phase of its seismic operation in Block Ba, South Sudan has been completed.
Over 500 km of high-density, 2D seismic data has been interpreted from the prospective Jonglei sub-basin of the Muglad Basin in the western part of Block Ba in South Sudan.
Several prospects have been identified in the 1800 sq km project area, including one large structure of over 50 sq km, which has been high-graded as an immediate drilling target, the company said.
The seismic data from the first phase of the exploration programme has been processed and interpreted to provide a new understanding of the prospectivity of the Jonglei sub-basin of the Muglad Basin.
It shows a sedimentary section of up to 7 km in thickness and rift structures suitable for forming hydrocarbon traps analogous to the producing South Sudanese Thar Jath, Mala, Heglig and Unity oilfields of the Muglad Basin to the northwest of Block Ba.
In this way the geological conditions pertaining to the formation of oilfields in the Muglad Basin (Blocks 1, 2, 4 and 5A) have been extrapolated into the Jonglei sub-basin in Block Ba. Blocks 1, 2 & 5A host the known Unity, Heglig and Thar Jath oilfields that have estimated oil in place figures of circa 600 million, 550 million and one billion barrels respectively.
A drilling rig is now being procured and the first exploration well is planned to spud in the first half of 2007.
White Nile’s exploration and development programme for Block Ba includes three exploration wells in 2007 and further 2D seismic acquisition. Additionally 3D seismic acquisition will be considered over any discoveries. A new 2D seismic acquisition programme in the Pibor Post Basin, part of the productive Melut Basin, in the eastern part of Block Ba will also commence in early 2007.
The Melut Basin to the north of Block Ba includes the Great Palogue oilfield, which has estimated oil in place of circa 2.9bn barrels and the Adar-Yale oilfield, which has estimated oil in place of circa 276 million barrels. The seismic operation is being out by Terra Seis Geophysical Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Terra Seis International of Canada.
White Nile Chairman Phil Edmonds said: "The data received clearly indicates the prospectivity and potential of Block Ba in Southern Sudan. We have identified substantial structures that warrant immediate prioritisation for drilling and we have also demonstrated that the geology of Jonglei sub-basin is analogous to the producing Thar Jath, Mala, Heglig and Unity oilfields, also in the Muglad Basin. Our exploration programme is ongoing and we look forward to updating the market in our year-end figures due to be announced in December."
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