Invictus Energy Managing Director Scott Macmillan says the Musuma-1 exploration prospect has a compelling seismic feature that could point to hydrocarbons, with a successful well potentially opening up a significant new resource base in the eastern part of Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa Basin, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking in a video update, Macmillan described the direct hydrocarbon indicator (DHI), known as a flat spot, as a key technical feature underpinning the prospect ahead of drilling targeted for November 2026.
“We see a very compelling technical prospect in Musuma, which has got a beautiful, what’s called direct hydrocarbon indicator, DHI, which has a flat spot, often indicative of the presence of hydrocarbons,” Macmillan said.
He said the well would test an undrilled play in the eastern part of the basin, outside the existing Mukuyu Gas Field discovery area.
“If it works, then it opens up a huge additional resource base in the eastern part of the basin,” he said.
A direct hydrocarbon indicator is a seismic feature that can support the interpretation of hydrocarbon presence, although drilling is required to establish whether hydrocarbons exist at the prospect.
Invictus has been preparing for the well over recent months, including contracting a drilling rig, engaging oilfield services company SLB and completing the wellpad, access roads and associated civil works.
The company has commenced relocating Exalo Rig 202 to the Musuma-1 wellsite, with drilling scheduled to begin in November.
Musuma-1 is located on the eastern margin of the Cabora Bassa Basin, where Invictus holds approximately 360,000 hectares of exploration acreage encompassing the Mukuyu discovery and several basin-margin prospects.
The well is expected to test whether the geological potential identified in this less-explored part of the basin translates into a hydrocarbon discovery.
Invictus said its prospective resource estimates had not materially changed since the update published on 3 September 2024.
