Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola (Sonangol) and BP Exploration (Angola) Limited today announced the ‘Urano’ oil discovery in ultra-deepwater Block 31, offshore Angola. Urano is the tenth successful discovery that BP has drilled in Block 31, following Plutão, Saturno, Marte, Venus, Palas, Ceres, Juno, Astraea and Hebe.

Urano was drilled by the Jack Ryan drill ship, in a water depth of 1,938m, some 345 kilometres northwest of Luanda and reached a total depth of 4,578 metres below sea level. This is the first 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 an encouraging maximum flow rate of 1,970 barrels of oil a day (b/d) from a limited test interval through an 86/64 inch choke, confirming the capability of the entire sand interval to flow at a much higher rate.

Sonangol is the concessionaire of Block 31. BP Exploration (Angola) Limited 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 E.P. (20 percent), Statoil Angola A.S. (13.33 percent), Marathon International Petroleum Angola Block 31 Limited (10 percent) and TEPA (BLOCK 31), LIMITED, (a subsidiary of the Total Group) with 5 percent.
Notes to editors