Anadarko strikes oil, gas in Gulf of Mexico, Mozambique

Anadarko announces new deepwater oil, gas finds

HOUSTON — Anadarko Petroleum Corp. on Monday said its partly owned well in the Gulf of Mexico struck oil while its Windjammer well in Mozambique hit additional natural gas resources.

The Shell-operated Vito appraisal well in the Gulf of Mexico met more than 600 net feet of high-quality pay, or the thickness of rock that can deliver oil or gas to the well, in subsalt Miocene sands. The Vito oil well is located in Mississippi Canyon block 940. Anadarko holds a 20 percent stake in the block. Shell Offshore Inc. holds a 55 percent interest while Statoil USA E&P Inc. holds the remaining 25 percent stake.

“The successful Vito appraisal well is an important step in confirming our geologic models of the area and transitioning this field from exploration to a potential stand-alone development,” said Bob Daniels, Anadarko senior vice president of worldwide exploration.

Anadarko also said it was the apparent high bidder on 48 deepwater tracts in the Central Gulf of Mexico lease sale 213, which is focused on high-impact targets that can be drilled in the near-to-mid term in the Miocene and Pliocene properties.

With the addition of these new blocks, Anadarko will have access to 618 blocks covering about 3.5 million gross acres.

In deepwater Mozambique, the Anadarko-operated Windjammer discovery well encountered an additional 76 net feet of natural-gas-producing rock, bringing the well’s total gas pay to more than 555 feet.

Anadarko holds a 43 percent stake in Windjammer. Some other co-owners include BPRL Ventures Mozambique BV, Cove Energy Mozambique Rovuma Offshore Ltd. and Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area 1 Ltd.

Shares of the company closed at $69.99 on Friday.