Italian multinational oil and gas company, Eni has announced the discovery of huge gas and condensate found in its Obiafu-Obrikom oil fields in oil mining lease (OML61) onshore Niger-Delta region. The find which was about one trillion cubic feet of gas and 60 million barrels of associated condensatewas through the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
NAOC, an affiliate of the Italian company also holds 20 per cent equity and the operator of the joint venture between Eni, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) 60 per cent and Oando 20 per cent.
According to Premium Times, the Obiafu-41 Deep well reached a total depth of 4.374 metres and encountered an important gas as well as condensate accumulation within the deltaic sequence of Oligocene age comprising more than 130 metres high-quality hydrocarbon-bearing sands.
The company said “The discovery has further potential that will be assessed with the next appraisal campaign. The well can deliver in excess of 100 million standard cubic feet per day of gas and 3,000 barrels per day of associated condensates, and will be immediately put on-stream to increase NAOC’s gas production,”
“The discovery is part of a drilling campaign planned by NAOC JV and aimed at exploring near-field and deep pool opportunities as the immediate time to market opportunities,” Eni added.
Eni has since 1962 been operating in Nigeria, exploring and developing a total of 30,049 square kilometres in the onshore and offshore areas of the Niger Delta. Last year, Eni’s equityto the joint venture hydrocarbon production was about 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
However, the company has been involved in various corruption scandals regarding its operations in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the company and its top officials are being prosecuted in Italy and Nigeria for their roles in the Malabu OPL 245 scandal.
