Despite the disappointment with its JM-1 probe offshore Morocco, Cairn Energy’s appetite for further Atlantic Margin deepwater acreage remains undiminished.

The company has signalled plans for further exploration offshore Africa focussing on multiple play types, all of which are related to the breakup of the former super-continent Pangea.

After the FD-1 well offshore Morocco operated by Cairn with 50% was plugged and abandoned back in December, and now following the JM-1 well (see above story), the UK independent’s exploration program has further to run with a forthcoming well offshore Senegal targeting the North Fan prospect in a water depth of 1,427 m (4,680 ft). This is to be followed immediately by a second deepwater well, targeting the Shelf Edge prospect in 1,100 m (3,608 ft).

“These will be the first deepwater (>1,000m) wells drilled in Senegal and only the second and third deepwater wells along this under-explored part of the margin,” Cairn noted in its 2013 results statement.