24th Apr 2007 07:03
BP PLC24 April 2007 April 24, 2007 BP MAKES THIRTEENTH OIL DISCOVERY IN ULTRA-DEEP WATER BLOCK 31 ANGOLA Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de Angola (Sonangol) and BP Exploration(Angola) Limited today announced the Miranda oil discovery in ultra-deepwaterBlock 31, offshore Angola. Miranda is the thirteenth discovery that BP hasdrilled in Block 31. The well is located 11 kilometres south of the recentlyannounced Titania discovery. Miranda was drilled by the Jack Ryan drill ship, in a water depth of 2,436metres, some 375 kilometres northwest of Luanda and reached a total depth of5,116 metres TVD below sea level. The well was tested at a flow rate of 3,822 barrels of oil per day (b/d) througha 48/64ths inch choke. Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 31. BP Exploration (Angola) Limited asoperator holds 26.67 per cent. The other interest owners in Block 31 are EssoExploration and Production Angola (Block 31) Limited (25 per cent), SonangolE.P. (20 per cent), Statoil Angola A.S. (13.33 per cent), Marathon InternationalPetroleum Angola Block 31 Limited (10 per cent) and TEPA (BLOCK 31) LIMITED, (asubsidiary of the Total Group) with 5 per cent. Notes to Editors BP's involvement with Angola goes back to the mid 1970s. During the 1990s, BPmade very substantial investments in Angola's offshore oil and it is now animportant part of the company's upstream portfolio. BP has interests in fourblocks with operated interests in two. Operatorship of Block 31 was awarded to BP Exploration (Angola) Limited in May1999. The block covers an area of 5,349 square kilometres and lies in waterdepths of between 1,500 and 2,500 metres. BP also has operated interests (BP 50.00 per cent equity) in Block 18 where theGreater Plutonio Project is currently being developed and is due to come onstream in 2007. BP has non-operated interests in Block 15, operated by Esso Exploration Angola(Block 15) Limited (BP 26.67 per cent equity) and in Block 17 operated by Total(BP 16.67 per cent equity). BP also has a 13.6 per cent interest in the Angola LNG project. Further enquiries: Robert Wine, BP Press Office, London: +44 (0) 20 7496 4827Amilcar da Costa, BP Angola, Luanda: +244 2 22637408 - ENDS - This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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