Drilling at a deepwater well offshore Gabon has brought disappointment for operator Ophir Energy. After concluding drilling on the Padouck Deep 1 well which was targeted a presalt prospect Opohir said the well failed to make a material discovery.

Well log and data analysis is ongoing after the well was drilled by the Vantage Titanium Explorer drillship operating in the Ntsina block offshore Gabon which is operated by Ophir with 50%.

Although the well reached a total vertical depth of 3,297 m (10,814 ft), and encountered reservoir sands, there were no significant evidence of hydrocarbons in the target reservoirs, the company declared in a stock exchange announcement. However minor oil shows were interpreted at a shallower interval, and Ophir suggested that these provide evidence of a working hydrocarbon system in the North Gabon Basin. Also well logs in a deeper presalt level were found to be similar to those onshore Gabon.