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First production from Angola’s Vandumbu field
Eni has started production from the Vandumbu field in Angola’s offshore block 15/06.
First oil was achieved in late November 2018, three months ahead of schedule. Together with the start-up of a subsea multiphase boosting system (SMBS) in early December, the block is now producing 20,000 b/d of oil via the West Hub’s N’Goma floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Production from Vandumbu will ramp-up in 1Q2019, to reach 170,000 b/d of oil and further extending the production plateau.
The two start-ups mark another step forward in the phased and clustered development strategy that Eni has adopted for block 15/06. Eight fields have been commissioned since November 2014, when production from the West Hub started from the Sangos field.
Block 15/06 is being developed by a joint venture between Eni (36.84%, operator), Sonangol P&P (36.84%) and SSI Fifteen (26.32%).
Eni also recently announced a new oil discovery in the Afoxé exploration prospect located in block 15/06, estimated to contain between 170mn and 200mn barrels of light oil in place.
The well has not been tested, but an intensive data collection has been carried out that indicates a production capacity in excess of 5,000 b/d.
Afoxé, together with the new Kalimba discovery, is reported to hold a potential 400mn to 500mn boe of high quality oil in place and represents a new cluster that can be jointly developed, according Eni.
‘Afoxé is a further confirmation of the oil exploration potential still held in the southern part of block 15/06, previously considered mainly gas prone,’ notes Eni. The company is planning to drill up to four new exploration wells, back to back, in block 15/06 during 2019.
