Angola's Sonangol and BP have announced the Leda oil discovery in ultra-deepwater Block 31, offshore Angola, the seventeenth discovery made by BP in the acreage, this time in the license's northern reaches — 415 kilometres from shore and 12 km southwest of the Marte field.

Leda was drilled in a water depth of 2070 metres and reached a total depth of 5907 metres below sea level. This is the fifth discovery in Block 31 where the exploration well has been drilled through salt to access the oil bearing sandstone reservoir beneath. The well was tested at a rate of 5,040 barrels of oil a day (b/d) through a 36/64ths inch choke.

Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 31. BP as operator holds 26.67 percent. The other interest owners in Block 31 are Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Block 31) Limited (25 percent), Sonangol P&P (20 percent), Statoil Angola (13.33 percent), Marathon International Petroleum Angola Block 31 (10 percent) and Total subsidiary TEPA.

BP has non-operated interests in Block 15, operated by Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited (BP 26.67 percent equity), in Block 17 operated by Total (BP 16.67 percentequity) and the ALNG (13 percent).

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