NAPE/AAPG REGIONAL WEST AFRICA DEEPWATER CONFERENCE

Bayo Akinpelu
General Co-Chair

Hundreds of Earth Scientists, Engineers, Specialists, Managers, Government Administrators and Policy Makers of the countries of West Africa will converge in Abuja – Nigeria’s beautiful federal capital city from November 14 – 18, 2004, to review the state of knowledge and value drivers of the West African conjugate basins from Mauritania to South Africa. These experts will share best practices and lessons learnt so far on the hydrocarbon systems, subsurface geology and engineering of these successful plays as well as the drilling, facilities, development and commercial challenges of the hottest plays on earth. The choice of Abuja as the conference venue is appropriate as no other Nigerian city offers the same unique opportunities for working and leisure.

Abuja city was created some 30 years ago at the approximate geographic centre of this country of over 100 million people. It is nested and almost surrounded by huge granite turtle back inselbergs some of which are so unique and gracefully shaped to attract the awe of even ardent rock climbers. The world famous Zuma Rock will rival the El-Capitan in its vertical cliffs and smooth walls. The name Abuja was originally the name of a much smaller Bwari (the natives of this area) town that was reknowned all over the world as a centre of ancient pottery making excellence. The most illustrious potter from this area was a simple non-literate woman called Ladi Kwali. Until her death some twenty (20) years ago, she was named an honorary professor of pottery at the MIT. The Sheraton Hotel and Towers Abuja Conference Centre is named after this illustrious potter. Abuja is a truly tourist area on all accounts and conference participants are encouraged to book an extra night or two to visit several natural and man made monuments that are within two (2) hours drive of Abuja metropolis.

The First NAPE/AAPG Regional West Africa Deepwater Conference is logical following the huge exploration and development successes recorded in all the West African conjugate basins in the last ten years. An AAPG sponsored West Africa Deepwater Conference is therefore a global recognition of these impact sized projects that have characterized the landscape in the last 10 years.

Sustained deepwater exploration campaign eventually took off in 1992, in the two giant basins in the region; Nigeria’s Niger Delta and Angola’s Congo Fans. Between 1994 and 2004, some 160 wells have been drilled in eight Angolan deep offshore blocks, with an astonishing 70% discovery rate. This blistering rate of discovery has sustained one of the world’s most vigorous field development activities ever. Today, the Angolan government’s certified estimated recoverable reserves stands at 12.5Billion Barrels, more than double the 5.4 billion barrel estimates in 1997. The country expects to double production from 750,000BOPD in 2001 to 1.5MMBOPD in 2006.

Nigeria’s deepwater campaign did not take off as spectacularly as Angola’s.
Expectations of any successful plays in the Niger Delta deepwater were minimal although the pioneering TGS-Mabon Spec 2D data had indicated huge thrust structures east and west of the Niger Delta. Most experts believed the source and migration/timing risk elements of the petroleum system could not be readily mitigated. The quality and clarity of the geophysical data were the lure to explore further despite the thumb down that classical petroleum system evaluation had indicated. The DHI are incontrovertible, flat spots, bights spots and the entire enchilada were abundant. Moreover, the containers look large enough to contain enough reserves even at these unforgiving water depths of 500 – 3000 meters. The response to the 1993 bid rounds would at best be described as luke warm. As usual, most of the super majors showed presence – just in case something interesting popped up! One or two super major did not participate because the Deepwater was too speculative and too risky beyond the tolerance of their portfolio. Besides, the fiscal regime was considered harsh and required very large threshold of reserve for economic development. Subsequent high resolution, long offset 2D and 3D data proved that the DHI observed were truly moveable hydrocarbon related. The discoveries followed each other in quick successions, Bonga, Erha, Agbami, Chota and Usan to mention the Billion Barrel Club members only! Never in the history of exploration for oil and gas has a frontier basin recorded over 50% discovery rate in its initial years! That is why, today, all roads still lead to the Niger Delta Deep Offshore opportunities among the majors, midis and Indies alike. The more you look the more you see becomes a reality in the Niger Delta deep and ultra deep offshore.

Elsewhere along the conjugate basins of West Africa, the exploration events are not less dramatic or romantic. The much suspected hydrocarbon potentials of the Senegal/Gambia/Mauritania basins finally started yielding its treasures. World-class giant gas fields in Mauritania blocks A and B are undergoing early design as we speak in an effort lead by Woodside and partners. New exciting bidding rounds were offered in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Sao Tome and Principe (JDZ with Nigeria). Major discoveries were recorded in Equatorial Guinea, and Congo.

Certainly the basins have been unfolding as they should! Is this the next most endowed hydrocarbon area after the Middle East and Eurassia?

There are lots to talk about. That is why we invite all who had been part of the West Africa Deepwater Exploration and development to come together in this first of its kind NAPE/AAPG joint regional conference.

How were the initial discoveries made?
Which analogues replicate these prospects?
What role did technology play in these discoveries?
What are the challenges of developing oil fields in ultra deep waters of the benign Met Ocean conditions of West Africa?
What drilling challenges do we face in drilling deeper and safer in progressively deeper water?
What are the next play types like?
How attractive are the fiscal regimes?
What have we learnt?
What best practices will be beneficial to all?

Abuja beckons from the November 14 – 18, 2004. It is going to be a combination treat – the best technical program ever, the best entertainment, social programs and the tourist/cultural display of Nigeria’s Federal Capital.
You Are Welcome!