BP Makes 19th Discovery in Ultra-Deepwater Block 31

Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola (Sonangol) and BP Exploration (Angola) Limited have announced the 'Tebe' oil discovery in ultra-deepwater Block 31, offshore Angola.

This is the nineteenth discovery made by BP in Block 31 and is located in the southern portion of Block 31 some 350 kilometers northwest of Luanda and about 12 kilometers to the south east of the Hebe discovery.

Tebe was drilled by Transocean's GSF Explorer drillship in a water depth of 1752 meters and reached a total depth of 3325 meters below sea level. The well results confirmed the capacity of the reservoir to flow in excess of 5,000 barrels a day under production conditions.

Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 31. BP Exploration (Angola) Limited as operator holds 26.67 percent. The other interest owners in Block 31 are Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Block 31) Limited (25 per cent), Sonangol P&P (20 percent), Statoil Angola A.S. (a subsidiary of StatoilHydro ASA) (13.33 percent), Marathon International Petroleum Angola Block 31 Limited (10 percent) and TEPA (BLOCK 31) Limited, (a subsidiary of the Total Group) (5 percent).

Operatorship of Block 31 was awarded to BP Exploration (Angola) Limited in May 1999. The Block covers an area of 5,349 square kilometers and lies in water depths of between 1,500 and 2,500 meters.