Angola ganha ainda mais tempero com Salsa-1

Total and the state-run Sonangol have hit pay dirt with the Salsa-1 oil find, in Block 32, in Angola's deep-water play. Drilled in 1806 metres of water, the Salsa-1 well tested at a rate of 3686 barrels per day of oil, from a Miocene reservoir. The find lies in the south-eastern sector of Block 32, about 15 kilometres south-west of the Mostarda-1 discovery. Technical studies are being carried out to evaluate the results obtained from the tests, and further exploration drilling is under way across the block. Sonangol holds the concession rights for Block 32. Partners in the contractor group are operator Total (30%), Marathon (30%), Sonangol (20%), ExxonMobil (15%) and Petrogal (5%).

Total has been present in Angola since 1953 and as of the end of 2006 held interests in six production permits, three of which it operates (Blocks 17, 3 and FS/FST) and three it does not (Blocks 0, 14 and 2) and three exploration permits, one of which it operates (Block 32) and two it does not (Blocks 31 and 33).

Deepwater Block 17 is Total's major asset in Angola. It is composed of four major zones (Girassol and Dalia, which are in production, Pazflor which is in the final bidding process before sanction, and CLOV, a fourth major production area, based on Cravo, Lirio, Orquidea and Violeta discoveries, currently being studied). The production of Block 17, with Girassol and Dalia structures, is expected to reach nearly 500,000 barrels of oil per day by summer 2007.

Ultra-deep exploration work conducted in 2005 and 2006 confirmed the potential of Block 32. After the discoveries of Gindungo in 2003, Canela and Cola in 2004, the positive results from the Gengibre and Mostarda wells drilled in 2005 confirmed the existence of a probable major production structure in the east-central section of the block. Conceptual development studies were initiated in 2005 for development of these discoveries.