Also at 2019 Africa E&P Summit: Interesting comments / thoughts...

Also at 2019 Africa E&P Summit: Interesting comments / thoughts on The Gambia
Link: https://www.frontierenergy.network/ceos-picks/2019/5/2/gambia-with-africa-summit-speaker-ben-sayers-of-tgs-on-the-gambia

Ben Sayers, the Director of Business Development for Africa, Mediterranean and Middle East of TGS

Late last year, Samo-1 well was drilled in block A2 by Far and Petronas. Why do you feel this didn't repeat the success of SNE-1?

From the seismic data that TGS has access to, it never looked like it was going to repeat the success of the SNE discovery. SNE works largely due to the reservoir sands that ponded on the paleoshelf edge with an unconforming shale layer that seals the reservoir. This is coupled with the charging mechanism allowing the Aptian source rocks to charge via migration through the incised canyons and the dip of the rotated Jurassic block carrying the buoyant oil basin-wards. The same situation was not quite replicated at the Samo-1 location, but TGS has identified multiple other scenarios that we believe when tested would be fruitful.

What has TGS done to help explorers understand plays and prospects in The Gambia?

TGS has been working closely in the MSGBC Basin since the first 3D acquisition in 2010 and have acquired multiple phases of 2D data in the form of our NWAAM 2D programs in collaboration with PGS and GeoPartners. More recently we have also added two new exciting projects to the region, Jaan and the MSGBC MB&SS (Multibeam and Sea Seep). Jaan is a 28,000 km2 3D project that merges in 17,000 km2 of legacy data with over 11,000 km2 of new 2019 vintage of 3D data. The aim of these is to form a fully harmonised, phase, amplitude time and depth migration of the paleoshelf edge that has been key to the SNE and FAN discoveries in Senegal. By better imaging the subsurface feature southward from Senegal through The Gambia into Guinea-Bissau, TGS believes the future activity for prospects and fields will be unlocked. The MSGBC MB&SS Project is currently in acquisition. This project involves acquiring high-resolution bathymetry data using a highly tuned echosounder unit which also penetrate a few metres in to the unconsolidated sea bed. Where hard anomalies are detected, shallow core samples are taken, which we hope will reveal more information regarding the charge of the working petroleum systems we currently know about, while also, hopefully, discovering currently hypothetical source rocks from Jurassic and older intervals.
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We have "hot spots" for wifi connectivity and certainly MSGBC is one "hot spot" for hydrocarbon exploration and (potential) exploitation. As Cath mentioned in her presentation, conditions for O&G minnows have markedly changed. It is no longer just a matter of locating a sniff of HCs but current market demands much more.....which costs beaucoup $$$$$$, which is directly proportional to depth.
GLTA
MS