Odjfell Drilling has announced the departure of Odfjell deep sea Stavanger from Norway to South Africa to look for more oil near a massive discovery.
It was reported in May that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty of the global oil market and the global economy, Odjfell and its partners agreed to leave the semi-submersible Stavanger idle in Norway until the mobilization of the rig.
On Thursday, June 2nd 2020, Africa Chamber announced that although there is still uncertainty surrounding the oil market and the reduction of drilling activities almost everywhere with the record fall for rigs in Africa in May due to the collapse in oil prices, there is hope that more oil will be found in the area because of the existing discovery.
The Deepsea Stavanger is on contract with Aker BP and the French giant, Total until 2021 with an option to extend the contract until the end of 2022.
The Stavanger has already left Bergen, Norway on its way to South Africa. Bloomberg describes this move by Total and its partners as a rare example of exploration in a frontier area.
In February 2019, Total SA discovered the estimated 1 billion barrels Brulpadda. The oil giant has a 45% stake and operates Block 11B/12B. The deposit which primarily consists of gas-condensate is a light liquid hydrocarbon.
The drilled well is located about 175 kilometres off the southern coast of South Africa. African Energy also has an interest in the block through its 49 per cent stake in Main Street 1549 Proprietary Ltd who has a 10% interest in the block.
In a statement by the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Energy, Garrett Soden, he said the partners are in talks to drill a well in the Luiperd prospect in water depths of about 1.8 kilometres by the end of the 3rd quarter of 2020. He noted there has been a high prospect in the said area after the nearby Brulpadda discovery and other seismic works.
