Zimbabwe Discovers Higher Priced Oil in Muzarabani Exploration
Oil and gas exploration in the Muzarabani-Mbire district has yielded significant results, with the government of Zimbabwe confirming the discovery of light oil.
This type of oil fetches higher prices, requires less refinery purification, and produces a higher percentage of diesel and gasoline.
Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking to the Media at a press conference held on Monday, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon Zhemu Soda, stated that, in addition to natural gas, the investor Geo Associates and its partners, Invictus Energy and One Gas Resource, undertaking exploration at Mukuyu-2 exploration well have discovered light oil, helium, and hydrogen.
“The results are that the natural gas is of high quality with minimal impurities, and there is no hydrogen sulphide in the samples (which is an undesirable constituent in oil and gas). Above all, the discovered oil falls into the light oil classification. This classification produces diesel, petrol, as well as jet A1. The presence of helium and hydrogen, which has also been confirmed, becomes a welcome bonus from the Mukuyu deposit,” Minister Soda said.
According to Minister Soda, reserve fluid samples by Invictus Energy show that there is an estimated 14-22 barrels of condensate/light oil for every one million standard cubic feet of gas. The natural gas is of high quality with minimal impurities, and there is no hydrogen sulphide in the sample, with CO2 being less than 2%.
Invictus Energy Managing Director Scott McMillan said Mukuyu-1 mud gas analysis results also confirmed the presence of light oil and gas condensate yields of 30-135 barrels/MMscf and high-quality natural gas with minimal impurities.
McMillan stated that the preliminary analysis from Mukuyu-2 and results from Mukuyu-1 are consistent with Invictus’ geological modelling, which shows increasing liquid hydrocarbon content in the south of Mukuyu towards the Basin Margin, where multiple drill-ready prospects have been mapped, and increasing dry gas contribution from the deeper kitchen and higher maturity source rock to the north of the Mukuyu structure.
The preliminary gas isotope analysis from processed downhole reservoir fluid samples in Mukuyu-2 is consistent with mud gas samples from comparable depths, allowing for additional insights to be generated from the extensive suite of samples gathered from the Mukuyu-1 and Mukuyu-2 wells.
McMillan also mentioned that consistent with the Mukuyu-1 results, gas samples from Mukuyu-2 show a general increasing dryness (lower liquid hydrocarbon/condensate yield) with depth.
“We are extremely pleased with the early results from the downhole reservoir fluid sample analysis, which confirms a large and rich gas-condensate discovery at Mukuyu. The analyzed samples demonstrate a consistent, high-quality natural gas composition, exhibiting low inert content, containing less than 2% CO2, and nil H2S, which will require minimal processing. The results from Mukuyu-2 are consistent with our geological modeling of the Cabora Bassa Basin, and the presence of both light oil and gas-condensate provides us with confidence as we prepare for the next phase of our appraisal program and work towards the monetization of the Mukuyu gas discoveries and further exploration of our exciting portfolio of multiple drill-ready prospects, substantially enhanced by the positive results from Mukuyu,” McMillan said.