| The exploration campaign on Block 14 offshore Cabinda, Angola has recorded a new success with a third deep-water discovery, in a water depth of approximately 400 meters.
The first well on this third structure, which has been called Benguela, has yielded through three tests a cumulative flow of more than 20,000 barrels per day (b/d) of high quality crude. This very promising result will be followed by the drilling of delineation wells, the first of which being scheduled for this year.
The discovery follows that of the giant Kuito structure, also on Block 14, and the discovery of a second structure, Landana, which is currently being evaluated. Kuito will be developed in successive stages, with the production starting at the end of 1999.
TOTAL owns a 20% interest in Block 14, in association with Chevron (operator, with 31%), the Angolan national oil company Sonangol (20%), AGIP (20%) and Petrogal (9%).
In Angola, the Group also owns a 27.5% interest in Block 2/80-85, operated by Texaco, where current production is approximately 100,000 b/d. |