Cairn has made a discovery of high-quality oil in the second well in the Senegal exploration program, the company said in a press release. The SNE-1 well is located in 1,100 m (3,609 ft) water depth about 100 km (62 miles) offshore in the Sangomar Offshore Block with a target depth of about 3,000 m (9,843 ft) targeting the Shelf Edge Prospect.

Intermediate logging of the SNE-1 well has confirmed hydrocarbons in the Cretaceous clastics objective, which is of similar age to oil-bearing sands found about 24 km (15 miles) away in FAN-1.

As operator, Cairn has issued notices of discovery for the SNE-1 well and FAN-1 well to the government of Senegal on behalf of the joint venture. Initial analysis of the SNE-1 well indicates a 95-m (312-ft) gross oil-bearing column with a gas cap; excellent reservoir sands with net oil pay of 36 m (118 ft); and oil of 32˚API from samples of gas, oil and water recovered to surface.

Further evaluation of this zone is continuing. The deeper target of karstified and fractured Lower Cretaceous shelf carbonates is yet to be reached.