SOCO says that the Liyeke Marine 1 well has spudded on 22nd August 2009 in the Marine XI Block, located in the Congo Basin, offshore the Republic of Congo.

The Liyeke Marine well is the first in a two well drilling programme on Marine XI and is targeting a Sendji sandstone prospect, previously called S1, above the salt layer. The well will be drilled by using the jack-up drilling rig Pride Cabinda and is expected to take 25 to 35 days, with a planned depth of approximately 1,130 metres below mean sea level. The follow-up well will appraise the existing pre-salt Viodo oil field at a location approximately one kilometre from the field’s discovery well.

The spudding of the Liyeke Marine well launches the most active drilling programme in the Company’s history, which includes a 12 month drilling campaign in the Cuu Long Basin, offshore Vietnam, one exploration well on the Marine XIV Block, offshore Republic of Congo, a further exploration well on Marine XI, and two exploration wells on the Nganzi Block, located onshore the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa).

Tags: Soco International