One of the independent exploration companies blazing a trail offshore Africa has pinpointed a potential giant field that could have similarities to another vast discovery in deepwater offshore Brazil.

PanContinental has identified the exploration target, which is analogous to Brazil’s Marlim oil field, after examining seismic data and pinpointing a total of four leads in EL0037 offshore Namibia. The Australian-listed independent has suggested that the depositional system in the EL0037 license is analogous to that found at Marlim, which has an estimated 9?Bbbl of oil in place.

Multiple channel and turbidite fan leads have been identified on legacy 2-D data in EL0037 in the Walvis Basin region offshore Namibia. Four of these key leads, Albatross, Gannet, Petrel and Seagull have now been mapped more extensively by 3-D data.

PanContinental says the Albatross lead has been mapped at about 200 sq km (77.2 sq miles) and is undergoing detailed examination using 3-D data to mature it to drillable status.

Block EL 0037 covers a total of 17,295 sq km (6,675 sq miles), and water depths extend to 1,800 m (5,904 ft).

Potential hydrocarbon prospects are thought to lie close to oil source ‘kitchen’ zones which were verified by the Wingat-1 oil discovery drilled last year about 100 km (62.5?miles) to the south, it indicated in a recent presentation.

The explorer completed a farmout to Tullow Oil in September last year on block EL0037 in exchange for a carry on a 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq mile) 3-D seismic survey and acquisition of 1,000 sq km (386 sq miles) of 2-D data. Tullow now operates EL0037 with 65%, PanContinental has a 30% free carried interest and local partner Paragon holds 5%.

Overall, total prospective oil resources in the block have been estimated at 8.7 Bbbl of oil.

Offshore