OREANDA-NEWS. May 18, 2012. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) announced the Golfinho exploration well discovered a new, major natural gas accumulation nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of its Prosperidade complex within the Offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin, reported the press-centre of Anadarko.

The Golfinho discovery well encountered more than 193 net feet (59 net meters) of natural gas pay in two high-quality Oligocene fan systems that are age-equivalent to, but geologically distinct from, the previous discoveries in the Prosperidade complex.

“The success of the Golfinho well significantly expands the tremendous resource potential of the Offshore Area 1 in the deep-water Rovuma Basin, with additional opportunities yet to test,” Anadarko Sr. Vice President, Worldwide Exploration, Bob Daniels said. “The Golfinho discovery, which is entirely contained within the Offshore Area 1 block, adds an estimated 7 to 20-plus Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of incremental recoverable resources over a significant areal extent.

This new discovery is only 10 miles offshore, providing potential cost advantages for future development options.

“We are very excited about this new discovery and the value these additional resources represent for the people of Mozambique and our partnership. We look forward to continuing an active exploration program in the highly prospective northern and southern portions of the Offshore Area 1, as well as delineating this new discovery.”

The Golfinho exploration well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 14,885 feet (4,537 meters), in water depths of approximately 3,370 feet (1,027 meters). Once operations are complete at Golfinho, the partnership plans to mobilize the Belford Dolphin drillship to drill the Atum-1 exploration well.

Additionally, at the Barquentine-1 well location in the Prosperidade complex, the partnership successfully tested the upper Oligocene zone, which flowed at a facility-constrained rate of approximately 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. This is the third successful drill-stem test flowing at this facility-constrained rate.

Anadarko is the operator in the Offshore Area 1 with a 36.5-percent working interest. Coowners include Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area 1, Limited (20 percent), BPRL Ventures Mozambique B.V. (10 percent), Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Limited (10 percent) and Cove Energy Mozambique Rovuma Offshore, Ltd. (8.5 percent). Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos, ep’s 15- percent interest is carried through the exploration phase.

A map of Anadarko’s position in the Offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin and the Golfinho discovery will be available under the “Media Center/Anadarko News” tab at www.anadarko.com.