Total announces two new oil discoveries in the northern area of the Moho-Bilondo permit, which lies approximately 80 kilometres offshore Congo in a water depth of 1,000 metres. The Moho Nord Marine-1 discovery well was drilled to a total depth of 2,645 metres and encountered an approximately 140-metres column of oil in high quality Upper Miocene reservoir levels.
Drilled to a total depth of 2,340 meters around 1.5 kilometres from the first well, the Moho Nord Marine-2 discovery well encountered a different set of two Upper Miocene oil reservoirs that are connected to each other, one overlying the other. One contained a 78-metres column of oil in an excellent quality massive reservoir; the other, a 22-metres column of oil in a good quality massive sandstone reservoir.
The wells were the second phase of the campaign to add resources to the current Phase 1 development of Moho-Bilondo, following the Mobi Marine 2 discovery in 2006, which will be connected to the Moho-Bilondo floating and production unit.
Launched in late August 2005, the initial Phase 1 development plan for Moho-Bilondo consists of 12 subsea wells tied back to a floating production unit (FPU) whose output—around 90,000 barrels per day at peak—will be exported to the Djeno terminal. Production is scheduled to begin in 2008.
Appraisal of the additional reserves contained in the three oil reservoirs encountered by Moho Nord Marine-1 and Moho Nord Marine-2 is underway to determine their potential, and development plan studies have already been launched.
Total E&P Congo (53.5%) is partnered in Moho-Bilondo with Chevron Overseas Congo Ltd. (31.5%) and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (15%).
