Italy’s Eni confirmed a new “high impact” discovery with its Agulha exploration probe in the prolific Area 4 offshore east Africa’s Mozambique.

Preliminary estimates show that the structure in the Rovuma basin could contain 5-7 Tcf of gas in place, with Eni and its joint venture partners now further assessing the discovery and planning an appraisal strategy.

The Agulha well was the tenth drilled back to back in Area 4, where exploration has so far achieved a 100% success rate. It was drilled in 2,492 m (8,176 ft) of water and reached a total depth of 6,203 m (20,352 ft).

The probe is located in the southern part of the block, approximately 80 km offshore, and was drilled to assess new exploration targets and to test the hydrocarbon potential of geological sequences which are older than the ones drilled in the giant Mamba field complex.

Agulha encountered about 160 m (525 ft) of wet gas pay in good quality Paleocene and Cretaceous reservoirs. The discovery opens up a new exploration play in the southern part of Area 4, said Eni, adding that the drilling of three additional wells is planned for next year.

Eni operates Area 4 with a 50% indirect interest owned through Eni East Africa, which holds 70% of Area 4. The other partners are Galp Energia (10%), KOGAS (10%) and ENH (10%, carried through the exploration phase). CNPC owns a 20% indirect participation in Area 4 through Eni East Africa.

Statoil has not been so successful, with its well partner Tullow Oil confirming that the Buzio-1 exploration well in Area 2 offshore Mozambique did not encounter hydrocarbons and has been plugged and abandoned. It was the second deepwater exploration well drilled in the block, and hit good quality water-bearing reservoir sandstones. The Discoverer Americas drillship drilled the well to a final depth of 3,333 m (10,936 ft) in a water depth of 1,534 m (5,033 ft).