--> Abstract: Tanzania Ultra-Deepwater Exploration, by Lino B. Teixeira, Veronica L. Martinez, and Salvador J. Chrispim; #90082 (2008)

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Tanzania Ultra-Deepwater Exploration

Lino B. Teixeira, Veronica L. Martinez, and Salvador J. Chrispim
Petrobras, Andar, Brazil

Eastern Africa is becoming a challenging but encouraging area for petroleum and gas exploration. The Eastern Africa margin comprises six countries (Mozambique,Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Madagascar and Seychelles) and was submitted to different tectonic regimes. Its structural framework evolution started with Eastern Gondwana’s break up, during the Juro-Triassic, and it still active in the present time.

PETROBRAS’ ultra-deepwater technology is internationally recognized for its innovative approach, such was the case of the 2001 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) where PETROBRAS received for the second time the OTC’s award for the development of ultra-deepwater Roncador Field in Campos Basin, Brazil. Recently, Petrobras discovered Tupi oil field in Santos Basin, being the 2nd largest oil field discovered in the last 20 years world wide. PETROBRAS has the proficiency of producing at water depth up to 2000m, and now is going even further, improving the knowledge and expertise that should lead to a capability to produce at 3000m water depths.

Between 2004 and 2007, PETROBRAS acquired three offshore exploratory blocks located in deepwater basins, Tanzania, each of them with an approximated area of 9000 km2, and water depth that ranges from 500 to 3000m. Tanzania is considered an exploratory frontier area with only 35 wells drilled mainly onshore and shallow water (including the islands). The presence of oil slicks prove the existence of active petroleum systems, which encourage ultra-deepwater exploration, in spite of no well was drilled in such environment so far. Hence, Tanzania becomes an attracting exploration challenge for PETROBRAS deepwater expertise in the next years.

AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa 2008 © AAPG Search and Discovery