SDX Energy has announced that drilling has commenced on its Manatee-1 exploration well on Bakassi West in Cameroon.

According to the company the possible reserves from the prospect might be comparable to the Abana field, located 7km to the southwest of Manatee-1.

The well, which is situated in shallow water in the Niger Delta Basin, offshore Cameroon, is to be spud with the Paragon M825 jack-up rig to a depth of 1,550 meters. The process is estimated to last for about a month and two weeks.

Dana Petroleum is the operator of the Manatee-1 well while SDX has a 35% working interest in the concession which holds several finds.

“The data we have acquired on this block provides strong evidence that this prospect is very similar to the Abana field, which has been a strong oil producer since it came on stream. In the success case of an oil discovery, we believe that an accelerated development plan could be put together given the shallow water location and the example set by Abana which achieved first production less than 24 months after the TD of the discovery well. The Bakassi block has numerous prospects and leads and success at Manatee-1 will significantly de-risk these other opportunities,” Paul Welch, Chief executive of SDX told Energy Voice.

Anita Fatunji