Extra time has been granted to partners Azonto Petroleum and Afex Ghana to assess the Accra block offshore Ghana following a decision by operator Ophir Energy and TAP Oil to pull out.

Azonto recently stated that is has been granted a six-month extension to the exploration period, which gives it until September. Currently Azonto is assuming the role of operator of the block. If the withdrawal by Ophir and TAP is approved by the government, Azonto will hold an effective 45% equity stake, while Afex will be left with another 45% and Ghana’s national petroleum company GNPC, will remain with a 10% carried interest.

After the Starfish-1 well, which appeared to have penetrated an Albian-aged stratigraphic reservoir, and not the Cenomanian-Turonian age formation which was predicted before drilling, Azonto says there is evidence of residual oil in the block. But it says further high-potential opportunities have been pinpointed, based on previous 3-D data, including shallow water syn-rift Albian play and, in the deeper water, Cenomanian/Turonian turbiditic and hinge-line plays.

Ophir drilled and operated the Starfish-1 well using the Stena DrillMax drillship last June. It reached a total depth of 4,348 m (14,261 ft) in a water depth of 1,490 m (4,887 ft) and hit 230 m (754 ft) of sandstones in a primary Lower Cretaceous interval which was water wet, and water-bearing sands in a secondary Orca target.

Water depths in the Accra block range from 50-2,500 m (164-8,200 ft).

Azonto holds 57% equity in Azonto Petroleum (Ghana) Ltd, which has a 45% in the offshore Accra Block and the other 43% of Azonto Ghana is owned by Vitol, with Azonto acting as operator.

Offshore