Ghanaian parliamentary approval has been given for a new petroleum agreement allowing exploration of the South Deepwater Tano block, which will be operated by a joint African and Norwegian consortium.

The Ghanaian National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC Exploration and Production, and AGM Petroleum Ghana have been given permission to operate and explore the block.

AGM is owned by a consortium including Minexco – a privately owned junior E&P company based in London and Gibraltar, along with Oslo-listed AGR Energy AS – the exploration arm of Norway’s AGR Group – and Med Songhai Development, a Ghanaian-owned company.

Encompassing a total of 3,482 sq. km (1,344 sq miles) the South Deepwater Tano block is in an ultra-deepwater sector of the Tano basin offshore Ghana with water depths from 2,000-3,500 m (6,560-11,480 ft). It also lies close to the Tano Three Points licence area operated by Hess, which is studying potential developments after a total of seven discoveries in that block – and another licence area, the Cape Three Points block, operated by Vanco with Lukoil.

Last year Hess announced a series of finds in the Deepwater Tano/Cape Three Points licence area offshore Ghana drilled with the Stena Max drillship, for which it is evaluating development scenarios.

Those finds were:

WellNet ft of PayHydrocarbon TypeWater Depth
Paradise-1415Oil/gas condensate1,841 m (6,040 ft)
Hickory North-198Gas condensate1,967 m (6,455 ft)
Beech-1 146Oil1,604 m (5,623 ft)
Almond-153Oil2,210 m (7,251 ft)
Pecan-1245Oil2,513 m (8,245 ft)
Cob-131Oil1,929 m (6,330 ft)
Pecan North-140Oil2,259 m (7,411 ft)