The Eni-led exploration drive offshore Angola has proven successful again with the company making its fifth commercial oil discovery this year.

The Italian oil company said June 3 that post-drill results indicate the Agidigbo-1 NFW well found between 300 and 400 million barrels of light oil in place. The well, drilled by the West Gemini drillship in the deepwater Block 15/06 to a total depth of 3,800 m (12,467 ft), “proved a single hydrocarbon column composed by a gas cap of about 60 m and 100 m [197 ft and 328 ft] of light oil,” Eni said in a news release.

“The hydrocarbons are contained in the Lower Miocene sandstones with good petrophysical properties,” Eni said. “The discovery has further upside that will be proved by an appraisal campaign planned in early 2020.”

Development can be fast-tracked due to its location near the East Hub’s facilities, which are about 10 km (6 miles) away. The move would also extend the production plateau of the Armada Olombendo FPSO, the company said.

The Agidigbo discovery follows the discoveries of Kalimba, Afoxé, Agogo and Ndungu, which combined are estimated to contain up to 1.8 billion barrels of light oil in place, Eni said.

Eni is the operator of the Block 15/06 joint venture. Partners are Sonangol P&P and SSI Fifteen Ltd.

Offshore