US indie Cobalt has notched up its fifth successive pre-salt discovery in the frontier Kwanza Basin offshore Angola after its Orca-1 deepwater well in Block 20 reached total depth and hit light oil.

Initial estimates suggest that the discovery holds between 400-700 MMbbl of oil, says Cobalt. Logging, coring and fluid acquisition programs were carried out and confirmed a large light oil reservoir, a thin gas condensate reservoir, as well as a gas cap in the upper section of the well. In addition, mobile oil was discovered in a deeper syn-rift section of the well.

“After running production casing on the well, which is currently underway, further evaluation and testing will commence, after which the well will be temporarily abandoned,” said the company.

Further evaluation will take place with block partners to establish the commercial viability of the find.

Drilling at Orca-1 was carried out by the Petroserv SSV Catarina rig. After completing the well the rig is due to relocate to Block 21 to spud the Cameia-3 well.

Offshore