Description
The Ebok field, located 55kms offshore Nigeria in 140’ of water, was originally discovered in 1969 by Mobil. Initial reserves were estimated at 25mmbo. Indigenous company Oriental Petroleum was awarded the field in 2007 as part of a negotiated agreement with Mobil associated with the change in the Maritime boundary between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Nigerian marginal field fiscal terms were granted with Mobil retaining a field NPI.
In 2008 Afren became technical partner on the field bringing financial and technical capability and capacity to the project. Later that year with partner Oriental, Afren embarked on a 3 well appraisal programme that took the field’s 2P reserve base to 105mmbo with prospective resources in excess of 200mmbls. Development sanction was given in early 2009 and development drilling commenced in Q4 that year.
The development plan envisaged a combined appraisal development strategy that would deliver early oil production while evaluating the additional prospectivity on the block. Initial production was targeted for 15,000bopd rising to over 35,000bopd about 6 months after first production.
Production operations commenced in March 2011 from the fields Central fault block less than 3 years after joining partner Oriental Petroleum on the block and barely 2 years after project sanction. Production from the fields West Fault block is due on stream shortly.
To deliver this complex programme in such a tight timeframe required commitment, innovation and co-operation with partners, contractors and government agencies.
Mr. Shahid Ullah is Chief Operating Officer, Afren Plc. Afren is an African focused independent oil and gas exploration and production company listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and constituent of the Financial Times Stock Exchange Index of the leading 250 UK listed companies. Afren has a portfolio of 28 assets across ten countries across the full cycle E&P value chain. Afren is currently producing from its assets offshore Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. Afren has exploration interests in Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, the Joint Development Zone of Nigeria - São Tomé & Príncipe, Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Seychelles and Tanzania.