SOCO completes testing Lidongo X Marine 101 exploration well, offshore Congo

SOCO International has completed testing the Lidongo X Marine 101 ST1 exploration well, offshore Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Lidongo X Marine (LXM) 101 well, in the Marine XI block, is situated 23km north-west of Pointe Noire in a water depth of about 45m.

The well, which was drilled to a total depth of 2,665m, reached a post-stimulation frac peak rate of 5,174 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and 3.65 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMSCFD).

SOCO said the well encountered oil in a clastics sequence in the Djeno sand formation, with drilling and early log interpretations suggesting a 50m gross interval.

The test produced a stable average flow rate of 4,800 bopd and 3.5 MMSCFD on a 56/64in fixed choke with a flowing wellhead pressure of 778 psi after the execution of the stimulation frac.

The company will analyse the results in order to identify the continuity of the well with the adjacent discovery in the Marine XII block.

SOCO EPC owns a 40.39% interest in the Marine XI block, while WNR and SNPC hold 23% and 15% stakes respectively.

AOGC and PetroVietnam Exploration and Production hold 13.11% and 8.5% stakes respectively.

London-headquartered SOCO has interests in Vietnam, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) and Angola, with production operations in Vietnam.