Ophir Announces New Gas Discovery in Tanzania

Ophir Energy has announced the successful results of the Mkizi-1 well in Block 1, Tanzania which has resulted in a new gas discovery.

The compnay holds 40% of Blocks 1, 3 and 4. BG Group operates with 60%.

The Mkizi-1 well was drilled by the Deepsea Metro I drillship and was located in 1,301m water depth, between the Mzia and Jodari discoveries in Block 1.

The well encountered gas pay in three reservoir intervals within a Tertiary aged stacked channel complex. Estimates for the mean recoverable resource from the discovery are in-line with Ophir's pre-drill expectations of 0.6 TCF.

The Deepsea Metro I drillship will now move on to drill two appraisal wells, including a drill stem test (DST), on the Pweza discovery in Block 4. This will be the first DST on the series of Block 4 discoveries, following on from the successful tests in Block 1 on Mzia and Jodari.

Mkizi-1 well is Ophir’s ninth discovery in Tanzania and has added further resource to company’s existing discoveries in Block 1.

Appraisal of Pweza will look to further underpin volumes in Block 4 which were upgraded with the recent success of the Ngisi drilling programme, whilst the DST is the final stage in firming up the commerciality of the resource across the Chewa-Pweza-Ngisi hub, Ophir said.