Kosmos Energy has made a gas discovery at its Ahmeyim-2 appraisal well in the offshore area of Mauritania and Senegal.
The well is located in Mauritanian waters, 5km north-west, and 200m downdip of the basin-opening Tortue-1 discovery well and was drilled to a total depth of 5,200m.
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With its new well, the company said it has sufficient gas resources in the Tortue West structure alone to develop an LNG project.
Ahmeyim-2 penetrated the seismic-inferred gas-water contacts in the lower Cenomanian and Albian and defined the field limit, while extending the productive field area from 50km² to 90km².
The well encountered 78m of net gas pay in two quality reservoirs, including 46m in the lower Cenomanian and 32m in the underlying Albian.
Kosmos Energy chairman and CEO Andrew Inglis said: "Ahmeyim-2 is our fourth successful exploration and appraisal well and continues our 100% success rate in the outboard Cretaceous petroleum system offshore Mauritania and Senegal, further demonstrating that Kosmos has opened a world-class hydrocarbon province.
"Our well-to-seismic calibration has again been proven, highlighting the reliability of this tool and increasing our confidence in its use for fully unlocking the basin, which we believe has significant potential for both oil and gas."
Following the gas discovery, Kosmos Energy now plans to drill the first of three independent oil tests in its blocks offshore Mauritania and Senegal.
Initially, the Teranga-1 well will be drilled in the Cayar Offshore Profond Block, offshore Senegal.
The Ahmeyim-2 well is operated by Kosmos with 90% interest along with partner SMHPM at 10%.
