Tullow fails to find oil in Mauritania well

The most successful oil producer in Ghana, UK based Tullow Oil has been unsuccessful in finding oil in Mauritania.

The company announces Wednesday February 16, 2011 that the Gharabi-1 well, located in Block 6 offshore Mauritania, “was unsuccessful and has been plugged and abandoned.”

Tullow says, the well, drilled by the Maersk Deliverer in water depths of 1,787 metres to a total depth of 4,433 metres, intersected poorly developed water-bearing reservoirs. Gharabi-1 was drilled by the Operator Petronas to meet a commitment on the block and the result has no impact on Tullow’s future plans for its Mauritanian acreage.

Tullow Oil, which is the leading oil producer in Ghana started commercial oil production at the Jubillee oil field in the country December 15, 2010. According to Tullow the Jubillee field was drilled in record time and production costs were within original budget.

Tullow also has exploration activities ongoing in Uganda, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Congo (Brazzaville) and Equatorial Guinea. Tullow’s largest appraisal and development programmes in Africa are in Ghana and Uganda, the company says.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi