Tap Oil drills for oil offshore Accra

Australian oil company, Tap Oil Limited (Tap) has said that it has commenced operations on Ghana’s offshore Accra project in order to find oil.

According to information on  its website, Tap Oil Limited begun a 1200 square kilometre 3D seismic survey over the offshore area on January 9, 2011. It said the survey has been brought forward in the exploration program because recent studies have shown additional potential in the deep water portion of the block which requires 3D data for maturation.

Tap Oil said a 2D seismic data had already identified the presence of some similar structural features that were explored elsewhere which led to the discovery of oil in both the Jubilee Fields and Owo oil discovery.

“The Company is very encouraged by early seismic interpretation in the block. The early acquisition of new 3D data will enable all recognized plays in the block to be properly characterised in a timely manner and ultimately result in a complete seriatim of drillable prospects from which the Tap-led JV will select the first drilling candidate”, Chief Executive Officer of Tap Oil, Troy Hayden said.

Mr Hayden added that the survey is Tap’s first operated field activity in West Africa and, as such, preparation for it has been one of the key activities of the past few months.

“Tap staff and contractors have worked diligently with GNPC and other Ghanaian authorities, acquisition contractor Polarcus, our Joint Venture partners and various other contractors to complete the planning and approvals process in a timely manner”, he added.

At the end of the approximately 1200 sq km survey, 80% of the permit will be covered by new or reprocessed 3D seismic data.

Polarcus Naila, a vessel to be used for the survey is expected to take six weeks to complete the operation and with a fast-track processed data to be available four weeks after the end of acquisition and final processed data scheduled for delivery towards the end of the year.

Located at the south-east of Accra, the offshore covers an area of 2000 square kilometres, in water depths ranging from less than 50 metres to greater than 2500 metres.

Tap holds a 36% interest in the Offshore Accra contract area along with joint venture partners Afex Oil (27%), Challenger Minerals (27%) and Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) (10%).

However GNPC has the option of increasing its interest in the event of a commercial discovery

The Petroleum Agreement between Tap, its Joint Venture partners, the Republic of Ghana and the GNPC governing exploration of the Contract Area was formally ratified on March 24, 2010.

Ghana became an oil producing country when on December 15, 2010, the first commercial oil was produced at the Jubilee Oil field which is the largest oil field to be discovered in West Africa in the last 10 to 15 years.

By Ekow Quandzie