The well, SNE-4, encountered 100 meters of oil-bearing sands similar to SNE-1, SNE-2, SNE-3 and BEL-1 wells. It also confirmed the extension of reservoirs in the eastern extent of the SNE field and confirmed oil-bearing upper reservoir sands of similar quality to those encountered as gas-bearing elsewhere in the field.

Cairn has a 40% stake in the SNE prospect, which is composed of three blocks offshore Senegal: Sangomar Deep, Sangomar Offshore and Rufisque. ConocoPhillips has 35% stake, FAR Ltd 15% stake and PETROSEN, the national oil company of Senegal, has a 10% stake.

Cairn’s analysis of the dataset collected is continuing with initial results as follows:

• Confirms the extension of reservoirs in the eastern extent of the SNE field, more than 5 kilometres (km) to the east and down dip of SNE-3
• Confirms oil bearing Upper Reservoir sands of similar quality to those encountered as gas bearing elsewhere in the field
• The uppermost gas sands first encountered in SNE-3 and BEL-1 were also present and gas bearing in SNE-4
• Confirms correlation and presence of the principal reservoir units between each of the wells across the whole field
• A gross oil column of ~100 metres (m) encountered, similar to SNE-1, SNE-2, SNE-3 and BEL-1
• 108m of continuous core taken across the oil bearing reservoir interval with 100% recovery
• Multiple samples of gas, oil and water recovered to surface
• Initial indications confirm similar 32° API oil quality as seen across the field

Cairn Energy Chief Executive Simon Thomson said:

“We have now drilled four successful appraisal wells in Senegal and we are delighted with the results to date of the multi-well evaluation programme, which has confirmed the scale and potential of this world class asset.

Operations in Senegal have been safely conducted and are ahead of schedule and substantially under budget. We have gathered a very large volume of data from operations to date and we look forward to progressing our long-term, multi-field, multi-phase exploitation plan to maximise value in Senegal. We see clear potential to access additional cost savings from the current lower operating environment in respect of planned future activity.”