Last checked at 28 Oct 2019 07:00
NEWS RELEASE
ORCA-1 EXPLORATION WELL MAKES MAJOR GAS
DISCOVERY OFFSHORE MAURITANIA
DALLAS, Texas, October 28, 2019 - Kosmos Energy (NYSE/LSE: KOS) announced today that the Orca-1 exploration well has made a major gas discovery offshore Mauritania in the BirAllah area. The results continue the 100 percent success rate from nine wells targeting the inboard gas trend in Mauritania/Senegal.
The Orca-1 well, which targeted a previously untested Albian play, exceeded pre-drill expectations encountering 36 meters of net gas pay in excellent quality reservoirs. In addition, the well extended the Cenomanian play fairway by confirming 11 meters of net gas pay in a down-structure position relative to the original Marsouin-1 discovery well, which was drilled on the crest of the anticline. The location of Orca-1, approximately 7.5 kilometers from the crest of the anticline, proved both the structural and stratigraphic trap of the Orca prospect, which we estimate has a mean gas initially in place (GIIP) of 13 TCF.
In total, we believe that Orca-1 and Marsouin-1 have de-risked up to 50 TCF of GIIP from the Cenomanian and Albian plays in the BirAllah area, more than sufficient resource to support a world-scale LNG project. In addition, a deeper, untested Aptian play has also been identified within the area and surrounding structures.
The Orca-1 result demonstrates highly calibrated AVO, which together with our exploration track record provides further confidence in our ability to predict the presence of high-quality gas charged Cenomanian and Albian reservoirs within the 400-kilometer long inboard Mauritania/Senegal gas basin.
Commenting on the results of the Orca-1 well, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Inglis said: "The Orca-1 well concludes a very strong year for exploration and appraisal in Mauritania and Senegal. Orca-1, which we believe is the largest deepwater hydrocarbon discovery in the world so far this year, further demonstrates the world-scale quality of the Mauritania gas basin. With sufficient resource in place at the BirAllah hub, Kosmos looks forward to working with the Government of Mauritania and its partners to bring benefits to the people of Mauritania through the development of cost competitive, low carbon intensity projects."
Following today's positive drilling result and due to the scale and materiality of the Orca-1 discovery, Kosmos is extending the timeline of its Mauritania/Senegal sell down process into 2020, giving potential bidders additional time to analyze the new data.
Located approximately 125 kilometers offshore Mauritania, the Orca-1 well was drilled in approximately 2,510 meters of water to a total measured depth of around 5,266 meters.
Partners in the BirAllah gas hub, located offshore Mauritania, include SMHPM, BP, and Kosmos.
About Kosmos Energy
Kosmos is a full-cycle deepwater independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the Atlantic Margins. Our key assets include production offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and U.S. Gulf of Mexico, as well as a world-class gas development offshore Mauritania and Senegal. We also maintain a sustainable exploration program balanced between proven basin infrastructure-led exploration (Equatorial Guinea and U.S. Gulf of Mexico), emerging basins (Mauritania, Senegal and Suriname) and frontier basins (Cote d'Ivoire, Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe). Kosmos is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol KOS. As an ethical and transparent company, Kosmos is committed to doing things the right way. The Company's Business Principles articulate our commitment to transparency, ethics, human rights, safety and the environment. Read more about this commitment in the Kosmos 2018 Corporate Responsibility Report. For additional information, visit www.kosmosenergy.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Kosmos expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Kosmos' estimates and forward-looking statements are mainly based on its current expectations and estimates of future events and trends, which affect or may affect its businesses and operations. Although Kosmos believes that these estimates and forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they are subject to several risks and uncertainties and are made in light of information currently available to Kosmos. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "expect," "plan," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Kosmos, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. Further information on such assumptions, risks and uncertainties is available in Kosmos' Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. Kosmos undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update or correct these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release, except as required by applicable law. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
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Source: Kosmos Energy Ltd.
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