Bowleven has spudded the Sapele-1 sidetrack well in the Douala Basin off the coast of Cameroon.

Sapele-1ST aims to appraise the Deep Omicron oil discovery encountered in the Sapele-1 exploration well.

The well will be drilled to an estimated vertical depth of 3,682m, about 2km south-east of the Deep Omicron oil discovery in the original vertical well.

Bowleven is using the Noble Tommy Craighead jack-up rig at the site.

Drilling is expected to take 40 to 50 days.