Covering an area of 372sqkm, OPL 257 is located some 150km offshore, in water depths ranging from 1,600m to 1,800m. It lies south of OML 130, where the Akpo and Egina fields, operated by Total, are situated, and north of the joint development zone administered by Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe.
Total will be the project’s technical advisor. The partners of OPL 257 will jointly conduct further exploration, appraisal and development works of any commercial discovery.
No wells have yet been drilled in the license. The work commitment for the first exploration period, which ends in 2011, comprises the acquisition and processing of 400sqkm of 3D seismic and the drilling of two exploration wells.
In the second five-year exploration period, the work commitments cover the acquisition of a further 100sqkm of 3D seismic and the drilling of five exploration and appraisal wells.
