Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
AUSTRALIAN oil and gas exploration firm, Invictus Energy, mobilisation and rig up at Mukuyu-2 has been completed, giving the company leeway to commence drilling this month at the Cabora Bassa Project.
Invictus is on a mission to explore for oil and gas in the Muzarabani area and it has already concluded drilling operations at Mukuyu-ST1, which it described as a tremendous success.
In an update, Invictus Energy said the mobilisation and rig up of the Exalo Rig 202 at Mukuyu-2 has been completed, and activity has moved to 24-hour operations in preparation for the arrival of remaining personnel and equipment.
The company said a new mud tank system is undergoing installation and commissioning in conjunction with the rig acceptance process ahead of spud.
Final preparations and inspection of third-party equipment at the company’s and contractors respective supply bases is in progress and will be finalised in coming days.
“The completion of the mobilisation and rig up of the Exalo Rig 202 at Mukuyu-2 wellsite marks another key milestone in the project as we prepare to commence drilling.
“The final preparation of the well services equipment and independent quality assurance and quality control are nearing completion ahead of mobilisation of equipment and personnel to the Mukuyu-2 wellsite,” said Invictus Energy managing director, Mr Scot McMillan.
“This follows our highly successful basin opening Mukuyu-1/ST-1 well, with the campaign anticipated to confirm a discovery upon success.
“We remain on track to spud Mukuyu-2 in the coming weeks.”
The company said Mukuyu-2 is on track to spud next month, with the primary target interval, the Triassic Upper Angwa formation, sitting approximately 400m shallower Mukuyu-2 than Mukuyu-1.
“This location will provide excellent information on the distribution and reservoir quality of Upper Angwa sands. The Mukuyu-2 well trajectory is planned to be near vertical from the surface, with a maximum inclination of 12° to provide optimal penetration of several stratigraphic intervals within the same structural horst block, while minimising operational complexity,” said.
Last year, the firm indicated that the country could be sitting on more than 5,5 billion barrels of oil.
A barrel of oil equivalent (boe) is a term used to summarise the amount of energy that is equivalent to the amount of energy found in a barrel of crude oil.
It said the project is one of the largest oil and gas exploration prospects to be drilled globally this year and if successful, could be transformative for the company and Zimbabwe.
In 2020, the Government classified the Muzarabani project as one of the priority development projects, which can provide a significant economic benefit to the economy in pursuit of an upper middle-income status by 2030.
-@SikhulekelaniM1
Bongani Ndlovu
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