Noble Energy is planning a subsea tieback solution for a deepwater oil and condensate discovery off Equatorial Guinea to its Aseng floating production unit, while also working up regional development scenarios for other finds in the area.

The US independent plans to leverage existing infrastructure to develop its Carla field, which it is currently appraising, while also high-grading early concept designs for other discoveries in the Doula Basin including its Diega field, which will also be further appraised later this year and 2014.

A tender process for the subsea equipment hardware is expected to get underway in 3Q or 4Q this year, it is understood.

The operator is at present drilling the I-7 exploratory well on Carla South in Block I using the Atwood Hunter semisub rig. The prospect is on trend with the recently-appraised Carla North discovery in Block O to the north of Block I, where the Aseng field is located. Drilling is expected to reach total depth soon, with plans to then sidetrack the probe.

The Carla discovery was made in 2011 and encountered 8 m (26 ft) of oil pay below the existing Alen field, which is currently being commissioned. Carla sits in 579 m (1,900 ft) of water and holds an estimated 35-100 MM boe of reserves (75% liquids).

Noble has pencilled in first production for Carla by early 2016 at a forecast rate of 30,000 b/d, with gross development costs put at between US $1.15-1.25 Bn.

Diega has a resource range of 65-116 MMboe, and is likely to be tied back to the Alen hub facility.