The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in the Kolmani River II Well on the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin, in the North-Eastern part of the country.
This disclosure was made in a statement by the corporation’s Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Samson Makoji, late Friday.
Makoji stated that the NNPC acquired 435.54km2 of 3D Seismic Data over Kolmani Prospect in the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin as part of its efforts to evaluate Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) Kolmani River 1 Well Discovery of 33 BCF and explore deeper levels.
According to the spokesperson, the well was drilled with “IKENGA RIG 101” to a total depth of 13,701feet encountering oil and gas in several levels.
The state-owned oil corporation hinted that a Drill Stem Test (DST) is currently on-going to confirm the commercial viability and flow of the Kolmani River reservoirs.
It disclosed further that on Thursday 10th October, 2019, at 18:02hours, one of the reservoirs was perforated and hydrocarbon started flowing to the well head at 21:20hours in which the gas component was flared to prevent air charge around the Rig.
Bassey clarified further: “Preliminary reports indicate that the discovery consists of gas, condensate and light sweet oil of API gravity ranging from 38 to 41 found in stacked siliciclastic cretaceous reservoirs of Yolde, Bima Sandstone and Pre-Bima formations. Computation of hydrocarbon volume is on-going and will be announced in due course.
“The Corporation has also acquired additional 1183km2 of 3D seismic data over highly prospective areas of Gongola Basin with a view to evaluating the full hydrocarbon potential of the Basin.
“NNPC has deployed world class cutting-edge technologies including Surface Geochemistry, Ground Gravity/Magnetic, Stress Field Detection, Full Tensor Gradiometry aerial surveys to de-risk exploration in the frontier basins. The NNPC plans to drill additional wells for full evaluation of the hydrocarbon volume in the Gongola Basin”, he added.
He also stated that attention would be given to the Dahomey and Anambra Basins which have already witnessed oil and gas discoveries, adding that the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantity in the Gongola Basin will attract foreign investment, generate employment for people to earn income and increase government revenues.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari officially flagged off the drilling of the Kolmani River II Well on the 2nd of February, 2019.
During the spud-in ceremony, the President pledged the commitment of his administration to the exploration for oil and gas in the Benue Trough, Chad Basin, Sokoto and Bida frontier basins in of the country.
