Kosmos Energy on Wednesday announced that its Guembeul-1 exploration well offshore Senegal, has made a substantial gas discovery.

The Guembeul-1 exploration well is situated about 5km south of the basin-opening Ahmeyim-1 gas find in around 2,700 meters of water. It was drilled to a total depth of 5,245 meters and came across 331 feet of net gas pay in two quality reservoirs, in the underlying Albian, without coming across water.

According to the company, the well has confirmed the existence of a world class gas resource that covers both Senegal and Mauritania.

“The Guembeul-1 well continues our 100% success rate in the outboard Cretaceous petroleum system offshore Senegal and Mauritania, which we believe is a strategically important new oil and gas province and we are focused on unlocking the basin’s full potential. With the successful appraisal program and support of both governments, the initial gas development is gaining momentum,” Andrew G. Inglis, chairman and chief executive officer of Kosmos said.

Kosmos also announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pétroles du Sénégal (Petrosen) and Société Mauritanienne Des Hydrocarbures et de Patrimoine Minier (SMHPM). The MOU allows Kosmos and the two governments to work together in achieving early development of the cross-border Greater Tortue resource, thus maximizing value for all investors.

The Atwood Achiever drillship used to drill the Guembeul-1 exploration well has been discharged and will head to Mauritania to drill the Ahmeyim-2 delineation well located South of Mauritania’s Block C-8.

Kosmos Energy alongside Timis Corporation Limited and Petrosen holds 60 %, 30 percent and 10 percent interests respectively in the Guembeul-1 well, Your Oil and Gas News reports.

Anita Fatunji