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Dubai-based exploration company Black Marlin Energy has announced that its subsidiary East African Exploration (EAX) has commenced its second seismic survey on their acreage in the Seychelles with partners Avana Petroeluem from the UK.
In a statement the company said that it is using the Seabird Exploration’s vessel, Geomariner, to carry out the survey and that the new 1100 km 2D survey is designed to better image the potential reservoirs in the numerous tilted fault blocks to better delineate the leads mapped in the southern third of tranche A.
“We continue to believe that the Seychelles has excellent commercial oil potential and this concentrated program, on one of the most prospective and interesting areas in our acreage, is designed to help us indentify firm drilling targets for the next phase of exploration,” Jeff Hume, CEO of Black Marlin Energy said.
The 15,000 sq km PA acreage was awarded in November 2008 after the group reviewed 43,000 sq km and selected optimal locations for more detailed study.
The survey area includes some very large structures in both shallow and deep water targets and is close to the wells drilled by Amoco in 1980/81. The wells had significant oil shows which correlate well to the tar balls occasionally found on Seychelles beaches suggesting an active, indigenous hydrocarbon system.