8th Feb 2007 09:02
Total S.A.08 February 2007 Two oil discoveries on Block 32, in the Angolan ultra deep offshore Paris, February 8, 2007 - Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de Angola(Sonangol) and Total E&P Angola, a wholly owned subsidiary of Total, announcenew oil discoveries with the eighth and ninth exploration wells drilled on Block 32 in the ultra deep waters of the Angolan offshore. Drilled in a water depth of 1,977 metres, the Manjericao-1 well tested more than5,000 barrels per day of oil from Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. This discovery is located in the central part of Block 32, approximately 38 kilometres northwest of the Gengibre-1 discovery made in 2004. It demonstrates that there is additional resource potential in the previously unexplored central area of Block 32. Drilled in a water depth of 1,673 meters, the Caril-1 well also encountered Oligocene oil bearing reservoirs. The well was tested from a selected interval and produced at a rate of 6300 barrels per day of light oil. This discovery islocated in the northeastern part of Block 32, approximately 18 kilometres north-northwest of the Gindungo-1 and 7 kilometres west-south-west of Cola-1,discoveries made respectively in 2003 and 2004. Complementary technical studies are being carried out to fully evaluate thesepromising drilling results, and further exploration drillings are underway andplanned across the block. Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 32. Total holds a 30% interest asOperator. Other partners in Block 32 are Marathon Oil Company (30%), SonangolE.P. (20%), Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited (15%) andPetrogal (5%). Total in Angola Total is present in Angola since 1953 and held end 2006 interests in sixproduction permits, three of which it operates (Blocks 17, 3 and FS/FST) andthree it does not (Blocks 0, 14 and 2) and three exploration permits, one ofwhich it operates (Block 32) and two it does not (Blocks 31 and 33). Deep-offshore Block 17 is Total's major asset in Angola. It is composed of fourmajor zones (Girassol and Dalia, which are in production, Pazflor which is inthe final bidding process before sanction, and CLOV, a fourth major productionarea, based on Cravo, Lirio, Orquidea and Violeta discoveries, currently beingstudied). The production of Block 17, with Girassol and Dalia structures, isexpected to reach nearly 500,000 barrels of oil per day by summer 2007. Ultra-deep exploration work conducted in 2005 and 2006 confirmed the potentialof Block 32. After the discoveries of Gindungo in 2003, Canela and Cola in 2004,Gengibre and Mostarda in 2005, the positive result from the recently drilledSalsa well confirmed the potential of a new production structure in thesoutheastern area of the block. Conceptual development studies were initiated in2005 for development of these discoveries. ****** Total is one of the world's major oil and gas groups, with activities in morethan 130 countries. Its 95,000 employees put their expertise to work in everypart of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas,refining and marketing, gas trading and electricity. Total is working to Keepthe world supplied with energy, both today and tomorrow. The Group is also afirst rank player in chemicals, www.total.com 2, place de la Coupole La Defense 692 400 Courbevoie FranceTel: 33(1)47 44 58 53 Fax: 33(1)47 44 58 24 Jerome SCHMITTLaurent WOLFFSHEIMPhilippe HERGAUX Sandrine SABOUREAU Robert HAMMOND (U.S.)Tel.:(1)201 626 3500Fax.:(1)201 626 4004 TOTAL S.A CAPITAL 5 981 907 383 euros 542 051 180 R.G.S. Nanterre www.total.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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