Portugal’s Galp Energia has outlined an intensive exploration and appraisal campaign for 2013, with 10 high-impact wells to be drilled this year, all in deep and ultra-deepwater plays.

The company already has partner stakes in massive ongoing projects in key world-class basins, such as the Santos Basin offshore Brazil and the Rovuma basin offshore Mozambique, but also has interests in emerging frontiers offshore Namibia in southern Africa and Brazil’s Potiguar Basin.

In Brazil Galp is already underway with a non-operated well being drilled by Petrobras on Lula West in the BM-S-11, in the pre-salt Santos Basin. Galp says it will provide a better understanding of the giant Lula field area, and could deliver additional resources.

In the latter half of the year it will continue with further exploration and appraisal activity in that basin, with plans for the drilling of an exploration well on the Bracuhy prospect in BM-S-24, and an appraisal well on the Carcará discovery in BM-S-8. The exploration well on Bracuhy will assess the full potential of block BM-S-24, beyond the Júpiter discovery’s structure, where two wells have already been drilled and significant hydrocarbons discoveries confirmed. The appraisal in block BM-S-8 will be key to better understanding the reservoir’s behaviour in Carcará, particularly in relation to that commercial discovery’s productivity and extension.

In Brazil’s frontier Potiguar Basin the company is already drilling the first exploration well there. This probe is targeting the Araraúna prospect in the BM-POT-16 licence. Additionally in 2013 Galp says it plans to drill another two exploration wells, in the BM-POT-17 license, to assess the potential of both the Tango and Pitú prospects. Galp holds a 20% stake in both licences.

Offshore Mozambique, the Eni-led consortium for the exploration of Area 4 continues the appraisal campaign on the Mamba complex, which has up to 75 Tcf of gas in place. The 2013 exploration and appraisal campaign includes the drilling of two appraisal wells there, followed by the drilling of an exploration well on the K Bulge prospect, in order to assess the oil potential in the south of the block.

In Namibia, where Galp recently acquired stakes in three oil exploration licences, the company plans to drill three exploration wells, two in PEL 23 on the Wingat and Murombe prospects in the Walvis Basin, and another in PEL 24, on the Moosehead prospect in the Orange basin.

Offshore