Preliminary fluid analysis has confirmed rich gas and condensate discoveries in the Mukuyu field in Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa basin, Invictus Energy Ltd. announced.
The Australian company focused on sub-Saharan Africa had already declared its first discovery in the field, in the Mukuyu 2 well Upper Angwa formation, on December 7, saying it is the first Triassic-aged hydrocarbon discovery in Sub-Saharan Africa. On December 15 Invictus declared a second discovery in the same well, this time in the Lower Angwa formation.
On January 31, the independent upstream player declared Mukuyu 1 a gas discovery, having announced May 8 oil, gas and helium finds with commercial viability in the well 4.3 miles (seven kilometers) away from Mukuyu 2.
The analysis results announced Monday confirm the quality of resources in both the Mukuyu 1 and 2 wells.
“The compositional analysis confirms high quality natural gas containing minimal impurities (less than 2 percent CO2 content and nil H2S) which will require minimal processing to prepare for sale to downstream customers”, the Australian company said in a regulatory disclosure.
Condensate-gas ratios are estimated to be between 14–22 barrels of condensate per million standard cubic foot (MMscf) of gas in Mukuyu 2, Invictus said in the filing with the Australian Securities Exchange.
In Mukuyu 1 the analysis confirmed the presence of light oil and gas condensate yields of 30–135 barrels per MMscf and natural gas with minimal impurities, Invictus said.
“The preliminary analysis from Mukuyu-2 and results from Mukuyu-1 are consistent with Invictus’ geological modelling which shows increasing liquid hydrocarbon content in the south of Mukuyu towards the Basin Margin (where multiple drill-ready prospects have been mapped), and increasing dry gas contribution from the deeper kitchen and higher maturity source rock to the north of the Mukuyu structure”, the announcement stated.
“Consistent with the Mukuyu-1 results, gas samples from Mukuyu-2 show a general increasing dryness (lower liquid hydrocarbon / condensate yield) with depth”.
Further analysis is ongoing, while additional downhole reservoir fluid and mudgas samples are being processed, Invictus said.
The discoveries come three decades after Mobil Oil Corp., now Exxon Mobil Corp., abandoned exploration in the Southern African country. Mobil’s data from the 1990s quest has been used by Invictus. Mukuyu now paves the way for Zimbabwe’s first gas production.
“[T]he presence of both light oil and gas-condensate provides us with confidence as we prepare for the next phase of our appraisal program and work towards the monetization of the Mukuyu gas discoveries and further exploration of our exciting portfolio of multiple drill ready prospects which has been substantially enhanced by the positive results from Mukuyu”, managing director Scott Macmillan said in a statement.
Invictus recently raised AUD 15 million ($9.9 million) through a private placement to fund its Cabora Bassa activities, as announced by the company December 27.
Invictus holds an 80 percent stake and the operating rights for Cabora Bassa, “one of the last untested large frontier rift basins in onshore Africa”, as described on Invictus’ website. The Sovereign Wealth Fund of Zimbabwe has expanded the company’s license area to 360,000 hectares, as announced by Invictus August 17, 2022.
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