Apologies if some of these have already been posted.
But I just stumbled over a treasure trove of Senegalese (french converted) articles on the Interweb from my Vic 20.
If anyone understand's French, it would be interesting to know some of what hasn't been translated very well.
Some of the detail we know, but some is new to me - looks like the locals are a little excited.
Bring on flaring - I have a feeling we might hear more from the locals in the next month or so The Senegal celebrates its First Barrel Oil In 2017
by PULLO DIERI
May 23, 2015
Commodities, Energy No Comments
The production of black gold could begin in 2017-2018. This is what emerges from the statements made by officials at the open international energy and oil lounge yesterday May 22 in Dakar.
After unveiled its three-year program and estimated at over one billion the number of barrels of oils contained in its blocks off Senegal, Cairn Energy announces fast entry into production: "The discovery is so important that we must move on the production. In 2016 or at the latest in 2017-2018, we will move to production, "says Samba Mesmim Koubonga, manager at Intercontinental services (Ics).
This manager including some staff of his company, ICS, was part of the boat that discovered oil that team is very optimistic. Calling this discovery, he stresses that it will also be usable for a long time.
Mr. Koubonga that leverages 16 years of experience in the oil industry also said that the oil found on the coasts "will greatly contribute to lower fuel prices, all the more true that Senegal has a refinery."
In a statement of 18 August, the British group, Cairn Energy, suggests that the exploitation of oil discovered in October and November 2014 in Senegal's ratings will boot from the fourth quarter 2015.
The company specialized in oil exploration plans to dig three wells and three optional farms off the coast of Senegal.
There will then be a 3D seismic data acquisition campaign on blocks Sangomar Rufisque Offshore Offshore and then, based on the results of these operations, the drilling of three wells is expected to start during the period 2016-2017.
In Senegal, Cairn Energy operates through its subsidiary Capricorn Senegal Limited permits covering an area of about 7000 square kilometers and includes three blocks: Rufisque Offshore, Sangomar Offshore and Deep Offshore Sangomar.
These permits are held 40% by Cairn Energy, in partnership with the Senegalese national company Petrosen (10%), US ConocoPhillips (35%) and the Australian FAR (15%).
The British oil company had estimated that oil discovered off the odds of Senegal could reach more than a billion barrels of crude oil. Modou Ndiaye
ablaye.
This is confirmed by the oil company of Senegal (Petrosen): the British group Cairn discovered with wide coast of Senegal (100 km from Dakar) light oil of excellent quality.Currently, drilling operations in water depths of 1427 meters have required an investment of $ 200 million.
FAN-1 drilling, a program of the first two wells, is located at sea about a hundred km southwest of Dakar. He currently represents the most significant oil discovery in Senegal.Preliminary results indicate a net thickness of 29 meters of oil-impregnated sands total range of over 500 meters. Probable reserves are estimated or up to 2.5 billion barrels, while proven reserves of about 250 million barrels of oil. The operations are directed by the British group Cairn with a 40% stake through its subsidiary Capricorn, on behalf of the association of Petrosen worn for 10% shares, 35% and 15% for Conocophillipis First Australian Resources.
The Director General of Petrosen, Mamadou Faye, emphasized the excellent quality of oil discovered by the British group. These marketable light oil upon receipt. Nothing to do with heavy oil that contains a lot of heavy products and fuel and the value added in the refining remains extremely low. The discovery of this evaluation work will continue with the aim to better determine the extent of the deposit and to develop the business plan for a start of production.
Since 1952, nearly 156 exploration wells and development in Senegal were drilled on land and at sea. The novelty is that these two drill holes will test geological targets that have never been drilled before. Several potential hydrocarbon traps (prospects) have been identified in the area .A second drilling (SNE-1) will start within ten days to the southeast of the first drilling.
Significant financial and technical resources have been implemented to meet the tough environmental conditions, that is to say, in water depths of 1500 meters. These exploration wells are drilled by the company Transocean Limited with its drilling rig "Cajun Expresss" a very modern drilling platform of last generation, dynamically positioned, able to drill wells in deep waters.
In the Senegalese sedimentary basin There are currently 17 offshore and land search blocks for a total of 11 contracts already running. There remain only three exploration blocks. The British group Cairn, listed on disalloweds in London, New York and Sydney, hopes to start the operation of this oil in 5-6 years. This discovery is important for several reasons especially as the oil bill of Senegal now represents 10% of national GDP.
The Senegal hopes to produce its first barrel of black gold in 2019-2020 following the recent discovery of oil off its coast, said Wednesday in Dakar the boss of the Senegalese public company Petrosen.
The British group Cairn Energy announced last week it had discovered oil offshore Sangomar (southwest coast of Senegal) is the most significant discovery since the beginning of oil exploration in Senegal, said to the press Mamadou Faye, Director General of the Petroleum Company of Senegal (Petrosen).
This is a field in deep water at 1427 meters, a well known FAN-1, explained Mr Faye, whose remarks were reported particularly by public television RTS and the Senegalese Press Agency (APS, official).
After the discovery, there are two phases that are very important that are evaluating the potential of the deposit and development, we believe that by 2019-2020 we will have the first oil produced offshore, he said.
According to him, the search involves several entities: the Petrosen, but Cairn ConocoPhillips (US) and FAR (Australian). Cairn was designated to direct operations on behalf of all parties.
On its website, Cairn indicates be operator of three offshore blocks in Senegal (baptized) Sangomar deep Sangomar and Rufisque, with joint venture partners FAR and Petrosen.
These three blocks cover an area of 7490 km2, said the British group, which estimates that the resources to find on all blocks are currently in the order of more than 3 billion barrels.
In the same source, the exploration of oil and gas in Senegal began in the 1950s with more than 140 wells to date.
However, Cairn accurate, although the hydrocarbon system has been proven in Senegal (...) it does there are no oil and only an onshore gas production field. Discover other domestic energy sources would benefit the country and help to overcome the problem of the imbalance between demand and supply of energy.
According to the CEO of the Petrosen, the oil bill is around Senegal 10% of GDP (gross domestic product).
To the rhythm of ads petroleum deposits discoveries, Senegal will no longer resort to some oil producing countries. It might even tickle the global hierarchy within OPEC.
At year end 2014, the British oil company Cairn Energy discovered oil made on the operation of drilling called FAN-1 at block called deep Sangomar. The drilling of a thickness of 136 meters for a 90% probability is rich with 150 million barrels of oil. And 670 million barrels for a 10% probability. The site is the subject of the discovery lies at 1100 meters depth, approximately 100 kilometers off the block Sangomar. The discovered oil is of good quality according to oil experts.
This Tuesday, the US firm Kosmos Energy announces the highest Senegalese authorities the discovery of an oil field and gas from Kayar and Saint Louis. It was not limited to this good news, Kosmos Energy adds that this deposit could be the largest deposit ever seen in Senegal. What titillate even some African oil giants such as Nigeria.
These different announce arrive at true or oil barrel experiencing a decline in the international market, but in the future they could prove advantageous for Senegal, a country who have long suffered the dictate of fluctuations in the price of petroleum barrel. This despite a grant by the government of oil prices up to 120 billion per year. What to do with these findings?
The Senegal is not an oil producing country, or at least is not yet. This is known to all, but has since after independence of a refinery that supplies its market and that of some neighboring countries for petroleum products while its basement boded of the existence of oil field. Thanks to the vision of its leaders including the first President Leopold Senghor and S Council President Mamadou Dia then.
With a nominal capacity of one million two hundred thousand tons per year, the African Refining Company, our days, do not fully cover the local market needs, so do not be exported.Its annual production is around seven 100-850000 tons annually, while the needs of the Senegalese market frieze million tons annually.
In conjunction with the National Committee of hydrocarbons (CNH), it fills the remaining requirements market with crude imports mainly from Nigeria. Including Bonny Light.
In the light of recent discoveries, Senegal must prepare to better meet domestic demand and even sub-regional. The Sar must come into play
The oldest West African refineries should play a leading role and thus assist the Senegalese authorities in the new status of oil-producing country.
Named there almost two years, the Director General of Sar left hear in an interview with the Senegalese national newspaper the Sun, his company turned to upgrading its facilities to meet the current needs in terms of capacity and production. And this, according to Mr. Diop, through the implementation of the expansion and modernization project of the Sar. Better M Diop the Director of Sar now considering an extension, or even in the construction of a new refinery capable of satisfying the local market with productions of up to two to five million barrels.
Although some tensions of living treasuries with his client Senelec which it is "obliged" to provide fuel, sar is not less a company courted by multinationals who would enter its capital by repurchasing shares Saudy Bin Ladin Group whose departure is announced according to several sources.
With modern facilities, Sar could validly refine the share due to the state of Senegal and why not to other partners that Senegal could also sell their products finished around the regional market.
This to say that refining in Senegal still has a bright future if the Senegalese authorities and Sar follow the pace of oil fields and gas discoveries in its waters.
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