Petronas subsidiary PC Senegal has signed an agreement with Total to acquire a 30percent interest in the Rufisque Offshore Profond block.
Total will retain operatorship with 60percent equity, with Société Nationale des Pétroles du Sénégal (Petrosen) holding the remaining 10percent.
The block covers 10,357 sq km (3,999 sq mi) in water depths ranging from 100-3,000 m (328-9,842 ft). It is close to various large oil and gas discoveries in the St Louis Profond, Cayar Profond, and Rusfique Sangomar Offshore Deep blocks.
According to Offshore, exploration drilling will start after the partners have identified and assessed a suitable prospect, Petronas added, based on interpretation of 3D seismic.
This is the company’s first license position off Senegal. Its upstream strategy is to grow its exploration portfolio in West Africa, where it presently operates an ultra-deepwater block off Gabon, with plans to extend exploration in the region.
Woodside Energy and its joint venture partners in the deepwater SNE oilfield offshore Senegal may undertake further 3D seismic work across the SNE field during H1 2019.
The aims would be to improve the resolution and quality of existing data, Woodside said, with a focus on the S400 reservoir, and to support development planning by optimizing production and water injection well design.