Kizomba Deepwater Project, Angola

Kizomba lies in Block 15, marking one of the first tranches of deepwater acreage offered by the Angolan Government. The development consortium is operated by ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration Angola, which has a 40% stake in the field.

The partners also include Agip Angola (with a 20% share), BP Exploration (with a 26.67% share) and Statoil (with a 13.33% share). Sonangol, the Angolan State oil company, is the concessionaire.

DISCOVERY

Over 2,500km² of high-quality 3D seismic data was acquired by the joint-venture partners. This was followed during 1997-99 by the first wildcat drilling programme to take place in 1,000m to 1,400m of water, which resulted in six discoveries. Four of the discoveries announced in 1998 (Hungo, Chocalho, Kissanje and Dikanza) make up the giant Kizomba Field Complex.

The reservoirs are middle- to lower-Miocene in age. They consist of turbiditie debris flows deposited along the upper/mid slope. The structural trap configuration is controlled by early-Aptian salt movement as well as lateral channel seals. The wells penetrated multiple high-quality reservoirs, giving an oil column exceeding 1,000m.

Kizomba has recoverable reserves approaching two billion oil-equivalent barrels. Other nearby fields are also planned to be tied into the Kizombo infrastructure. In 1999, two more fields, Chocalho and Xicomba, were discovered or reappraised.

In July 2000, Esso Exploration Angola discovered another oil field named Mondo, 370km west of Luanda. The discovery well drilled in 740m of water and encountered an oil-bearing interval which flowed at a test rate of 4,200bbl/day. The well was drilled in 2,400ft of water, down to a total depth of 8,200ft.

KIZOMBA A DEEPWATER DEVELOPMENT

In 2001, the company started construction on the Kizomba A deepwater development. Kizomba A is expected to recover approximately 1 billion barrels of oil from the Hungo and Chocalho fields at a target production rate of 250,000bbl/day. First oil from Kizomba A is scheduled for late 2004.

The development of the field will be by a combination of an ABB-designed 58,000t dry tree TLP and subsea completions tied back to an FPSO. The dry tree unit is based on ABB's ETLP design.

Hyundai Heavy Industries was contracted for the FPSO. The target production will require a $3.2 billion investment.

In June 2002 Esso announced that it had begun construction of the Xikomba deepwater development, also on Block 15. Xikomba is expected to recover approximately 100 million barrels of oil with a target production rate of 80,000bbl/day. First oil from Xikomba is scheduled for late 2003, making it the first oil production on Esso-operated Block 15.

KIZOMBA B - KISSANJE AND DIKANZA

In early 2003 Esso started construction of the $3 billion Kizomba B project which is also expected to recover nearly 1 billion barrels of oil, also at a target production rate of 250,000bbl/day.

Kizomba B will develop the Kissanje and Dikanza discoveries in water depths of 3,300ft to 3,400ft. The project will include the combination of a surface wellhead platform and subsea wells tied back to a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. The design for Kizomba B essentially duplicates Kizomba A, thus reducing costs and cycle time. First oil is expected by early 2006.

ExxonMobil have earmarked $750 million for an FPSO unit with storage capacity for 2.2 million barrels of oil. The unit will measure 285m by 63m and stand 32m tall with a weight of 81,000t and accommodation for 100 personnel. The facilities for Kizomba B are expected to be installed by June 2005, around a year after the Kizomba A startup.

KIZOMBA C - MONDO, SAXI AND BATUQUE

A third phase, Kizomba C, will produce reserves from the Mondo, Saxi and Batuque discoveries using subsea wells tied back to an FPSO rather than to dry trees. First oil is expected after 2005.

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