Independent Chariot Oil and Gas has revealed just how much prospectivity it has in its portfolio at present in its deepwater Atlantic Margin acreage.

The company has identified drill-ready prospects offshore Morocco, Mauritania, Namibia and Brazil that it wants to see tested with the drillbit. In a presentation – clearly designed to outline the potential within its portfolio – Chariot highlighted where it will be exploring across the Atlantic in the next couple of years.

In Morocco it plans to acquire 1,300 km of 3-D data and has already identified a 500 MMbbl-plus prospect that it regards as drill-ready for 2015.

In Mauritania, Chariot has a 500 MMbbl lead that it also regards as drill-ready for the second quarter of this year.
Offshore Namibia, another 400 MMbbl prospect is drill-ready this year, the company suggests, and it pinpoints material follow-on potential in what it regards as a play-opening opportunity.

Offshore Brazil, in the Barreirinhas basin, Chariot has a commitment to acquire 800 sq km (310 sq miles) of 3-D data in 2015, where again it has identified giant leads and says it will be drill-ready by 2016.

In Morocco the company’s forward plan is to shoot 1,300 sq km (501 sq miles) of 3-D seismic over the Rabat Deep and Loukos licenses to satisfy remaining exploration commitments. One structure identified with 2-D data on Rabat Deep has been estimated to contain gross mean prospective resources of 548 MMbbl. Here Chariot, which describes itself as a “...fast follower in a hot basin,” says the region is an emerging exploration province with “...significant industry activity expected over the next two years”.

It indicates it is also starting to look for a partner on this acreage – which spans a total of 12,707 sq km (4,904 sq miles). Gas production is already underway and gas condensate has been discovered in nearby acreage operated by Repsol.

Offshore Mauritania, in block C-19 spanning 12,175 sq km (4,700 sq miles), Chariot is interpreting 3,500 sq km (1,351 sq miles) of 3-D data and indicates source rock has been modeled as oil-generating, supported by oil shows from two historical wells, RAB 1A and AKZ 1AS and the nearby Aigrette discovery.

Chariot is planning to provide a resource update for this block in the second quarter, and it is to undertake an additional farm-out process at the same time, after interpretation of the 3-D data, with a view to potential drilling with a partner there in 2015.

Other companies are drilling offshore Mauritania this year: Fregate, operated by Dana (see below), Sidewinder, Tapendar and Ibis/IDA. Kosmos is also planning a well off Mauritania early 2015 and Total another in mid-2015.

Offshore Namibia, Chariot has a large acreage position: The company operates northern blocks 1811 A and B with 100% equity; it holds central blocks 2312 A and B, and N/2 2412 A and B with 90% equity partnered by AziNam, which holds 10%.

Chariot also has equity in two Southern blocks; in block 2714A, where Petrobras is the operator with 30%, BP has 45% and Chariot holds 25%, and in block 2714B, Chariot is the operator with 85%, partnered by Namcor with 10% and BEE with 5%.

Namibia’s northern blocks are drill ready, according to Chariot, but the company is waiting for the start of third party drilling before seeking a partner there. In the central blocks it has one drill-ready target, Prospect B, which has been audited with gross mean prospective resources of 469 MMbbl, and ranked with a 22% chance of geological success. A partnership process is underway for this acreage. In the southern blocks, Chariot completed acquisition of 2,000 km of 2-D seismic data in January. This is now being processed.

Offshore