SDX Energy completes drilling offshore Cameroon

SDX Energy has completed drilling operations on the Manatee-1 exploration well in shallow waters of the prolific Niger Delta Basin, offshore Cameroon.

The Manatee-1 well is operated by Dana Petroleum, and 35% owned by SDX.

The well was spud using the jack-up rig Paragon M825 and reached a total depth of 1,447m.

SDX said that the Manatee-1 well intersected 26m of gas bearing section of varying quality throughout the wellbore.

"Our technical team will be working closely with our partners to evaluate the well results to determine if the gas volumes on the block have commercial potential."

The company could not acquire a full suite of logging tools in the deeper sections of the hole due to wellbore conditions.

Additional technical work is planned to be completed with the samples and material collected from the well in order to improve the understanding of quality in post-well analyses.

SDX CEO Paul Welch said: "Whilst we are disappointed not to have made an oil discovery, we recognised the risks associated with exploration wells of this kind.

"The secondary objective was to see whether we could make a commercially viable gas discovery.

"At this stage, it is too early to quantify the Manateee-1 gas potential and our technical team will be working closely with our partners to evaluate the well results to determine if the gas volumes on the block have commercial potential."

Information obtained from the well will be used to improve the company's understanding of the Bakassi West Block to discuss on the next steps.

SDX further plans to continue to focus on increasing production in its fields of North West Gemsa and Meseda.