Ghana: Ophir drilling

Ophir Energy has spudded the Starfish-1 well in the Offshore Accra Block using the Stena DrillMax drillship. The Starfish-1 well is targeting a Cretaceous stratigraphic structure with similarities to the Jubilee field. The well is being drilled in water depths of 1,500 metres and has a target depth of 3,850 metres. Ophir estimates mean prospective resources of 292m boe with a 20% chance of success for the Starfish prospect. However, broker Investec points out that the well is potentially more significant for partner Rialto Energy than for Ophir, saying that, even though it has only 5.5% in the block after Vitol increases its stake