ABSTRACT: Takula Oil Field and the Greater Takula Area, Cabinda, Angola

Christopher T. Dale, Jose R. Lopes, Syanga Abilio

The Greater Takula area comprises three fields that produce oil predominantly from Upper Cretaceous reservoirs. They are located approximately 40 km west-northwest of the Malongo terminal, offshore Cabinda, Angola, in water depths of 50-75 m. Current production levels are approximately 200,000 bbl/day of 32° API oil.

The first well in the Takula area, drilled in 1971, tested 5600 bbl/day of 32° API oil from Lower Cretaceous pre-salt Toca carbonates. The prospect was initially defined as a horst structure in the lower Congo presalt sedimentary section. Subsequent delineation drilling indicated updip potential for much more significant hydrocarbon accumulations in younger Cenomanian clastic sediments of the Vermelha Formation. The Vermelha pool, structurally a large rollover anticline bounded by growth faults with an areal closure of 4856 ha (12,000 ac), was discovered in 1980. Appraisal drilling confirmed the existence of a major oil accumulation in multiple reservoirs within the Vermelha. Additional accumulations were found in the underlying Pinda Formation.

In May 1982, the 44-5x well was drilled on a separate structure, immediately north of Takula. This well also tested oil from the Vermelha Formation and is now known as the Wamba field.

In August 1982, the 57-5x well uncovered another large oil accumulation immediately southeast of the Takula field. This discovery, separated from Takula by a structural saddle, is in pressure communication with the Takula accumulation and is known as the Numbi field.

This complex of structures, known as the Greater Takula area, is now in a mature stage of development, having produced over 250 MMSTB from an original oil in place estimate of 3300 MMSTB. The integration of geology, geophysics, and reservoir engineering has led to a progressive development, including both primary and waterflood secondary recovery, of this giant oil field complex.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91000©1990 AAPG Conference-Giant Oil and Gas Fields of the Decade 1978-1988 Conference, Stavanger, Norway, September 9-12, 1990