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Monday, November 23, 2020
Scirocco Energy provided an operational update on its Ruvuma asset (WI 25%) in Tanzania and the plan to progress the Ntorya gas discovery situated within the license on behalf of the joint venture partners. The update covers the upcoming work program which includes 3D seismic as well as the upcoming Chikumbi-1 appraisal and exploration well.
On October 23, Aminex plc announced that it had completed the farm-out of 50% of its ownership interest in the Ruvuma PSA to ARA Petroleum Tanzania Limited (APT) which has now assumed the role of operator under the Ruvuma PSA. At a recently held OCM meeting and in subsequent discussions, APT provided the joint venture with an update on its plans for future operations on the asset for 2021 and beyond.
The Company notes positively that APT has, prior to assuming the operatorship, been fully engaged in the technical and operational planning for the upcoming seismic and drilling programs preventing any loss of time and allowing for a smooth transition of operatorship and continuity of operations.
APT has notified the joint venture that it intends to commence immediately with the contracting and procurement of services and equipment to execute a 3D seismic program over the Ntorya gas discovery and the drilling of the Chikumbi-1 appraisal and exploration well. The joint venture is looking to take full advantage of the depressed global market for services to ensure that the program can deliver maximum impact at the lowest possible cost.
The joint venture has agreed to a work program and budget to acquire a 400km2 full fold (454km2 surface footprint) 3D survey in the second and third quarter of 2021 to align with the next available operational weather window in Tanzania. Currently the seismic database comprises of 2D lines of varying vintages and quality therefore by acquiring and processing a modern 3D seismic survey the joint venture will secure improved subsurface imaging of the project ahead of full field development. The seismic survey design has been updated by APT to optimize the imaging of the original interpretation as well as providing better resolution of upside potential. The alteration of the survey’s footprint allows for optimization of the data acquisition without increasing costs to the joint venture. The survey, which will be acquired through a combination of vibroseis and explosive sources to take account for surface topography and to minimize the impact of the survey on the local community, will provide critical technical information in designing the full field development plans for the Ntorya gas discovery.
APT intends to engage immediately in the contracting and procurement of the relevant services to ensure that the survey is acquired in the next available weather window in Q2 2021. This will allow the joint venture to have sight of the early product processed data ahead of the spudding of the Chikumbi-1 well and reliance on the new data set for integration into the development planning for full field development. The acquisition of the 3D seismic is a critical path activity head of the investment decision on full field development and therefore a key determinant in the timeline to first gas.
In parallel, APT will commence with the contracting and procurement of the services for the Chikumbi-1 well (CH-1). Since assuming the operatorship, APT has reviewed the well design, data acquisition and formation evaluation strategy, completion design and well testing plans for the well. The outcome of the review has been to further integrate the learnings from the previous wells to the design parameters for CH-1, optimization of the data acquisition plan to better align key objectives and reduce costs, and an update to the well testing design to capture key data for the development including a simplification of the proposed completion program to optimize testing results.
With the well now confirmed it provides the basis for contracting the necessary services to execute the program. APT will now progress with securing the Long Leads Items (LLIs) including the well head and rig. The joint venture will look at the option for an early mobilization of the rig to Tanzania in order to mitigate against one of the key uncertainties on the timeline to spud.
Scirocco fully expects a ramp up of drilling preparation activity commencing in early 2021 including the civil works for the well pad in preparation for the arrival of the rig, the securing of LLIs and deployment of services to Tanzania in anticipation of spud currently scheduled for January 2022.
The joint venture now intends to submit a revised gross budget of $22.8 million (Scirocco 25% share $5.7 million) to the Tanzanian authorities capturing the updates on planning and execution timetable.
Tom Reynolds said, “We are very encouraged by the progress made by the APT team in the short time they have been on license as operator and the JV is benefitting from the significant work already put in by APT prior to formalization of the farm-in. We are wholly supportive of the plan and budget put forward by APT and have been impressed by the technical capabilities demonstrated thus far. This update sets out a clear roadmap of intensive operational activity which will better define the potential of what we believe to be a world class discovery in Ntorya. Now with a clear understanding of the program and associated budget, we can better engage with interested parties regarding our potential sales review, while simultaneously assessing our funding options for our share of the proposed work program in the event that we remain within the JV through this work program.”
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