An oil discovery has been made in deepwater block 31 off Angola, where Statoil has a 13.33 per cent interest.
Designated Plutão 1, this find was made with operator BP’s second well in the block and yields a maximum flow of 5,357 barrels per day.
But the operator says further evaluation will be necessary before the size of the discovery can be determined.
The well was drilled by the semi-submersible Leiv Eiriksson in 2,020 metres of water about 175 kilometres off the west African country.
Plutão lies 36 kilometres west of Kizomba A in block 15, where ExxonMobil is the operator and Statoil again has a 13.33 per cent interest.
“We’re involved in three Angolan offshore blocks,” reports Morten Rye-Larsen, exploration manager for western Africa in Statoil's International Exploration & Production business area.
“Girassol in block 17 came on stream last December and is producing as expected, while field development is now under way in block 15.
“A number of discoveries have been made in both block 17 and block 15, so it’s gratifying that one has also been found in block 31.”