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Oil groups report northern Malawi exploration progress

28th March 2014

By: Marcel Chimwala

Creamer Media Correspondent

  

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South African company SacOil Holdings and the UK’s Surestream Petroleum have reported progress in their hydrocarbon prospecting work in northern Malawi.

In its yearly presentation to Malawi’s Ministry of Mining, SacOil, which was awarded an exclusive prospecting licence for Block 1, in the north of Malawi, bordering Tanzania and Zambia, says it has engaged independent consulting firm Golder Associates to conduct an environmental risk screening study of the prospecting area.

“The aim of the study is to provide a basis for . . . more detailed environmental and social follow-up and exploration planning. We also want to develop a geographic information system geodatabase of the exploration area to assist in the planning of the exploration programme and to support decisions related to environmental, social, technical risks and overall logistics of conducting operations in the area,” says SacOil Holdings VP for operations Bradley Cerff.

He says SacOil is optimistic about the exploration work, since the 12 265 km2 block is located on trend with the East African Rift system, which is a proven exploration province, with prolific oil discoveries in Sudan, Kenya and Uganda.

In its presentation to Malawi government officials, Surestream Petroleum, which was awarded Block 2 and Block 3, says it has completed the first environmental and social-impact assessment (ESIA) studies on its blocks and now waiting for a go-ahead from the Environmental Affairs Department to proceed with its exploration programme.

Surestream, which has also completed public consultations on its ESIA, says the exploration programme will start with an airborne gravity, magnetic and full-tensor gravity survey (FTG).

Says the company’s country manager for Malawi, Keith Robinson: “A two-dimensional seismic survey (an exploration method used to create a map of the structures beneath earth’s surface) will be carried out at the earliest this year . . . and will last up to two years.

“The seismic survey will be undertaken from a vessel or a combination of two vessels serviced by a support boat.”

Robinson explains that seismic data will be acquired using standard marine surveying techniques, including air guns, and impulsive underwater transducers that produce high-energy sound at low frequencies.

He says, depending on the results of the FTG, Surestream may conduct a lakebed survey along selected lines in the shallower coastal waters of Lake Malawi and, after completion of this programme, a lakebed sampling programme may take place.

Robinson says, after this initial exploration work, the firm will conduct another ESIA before it starts exploratory drilling.

Malawi divided areas with oil exploration potential into six blocks, and the other three blocks, located on the southern part of the Lake Malawi, are held by sister oil exploration firms RakGas and Pacific Oil & Gas.

Exploration data from Malawi’s Geological Survey Department show potential for oil and gas discoveries in Lake Malawi and the Shire Valley area.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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