Angola Kwanza exploration basin

Prior to 2011, exploration in Angola's Kwanza Basin was disappointing, with just a few small oil discoveries having been made in Late Cretaceous and Tertiary reservoirs. Explorers focused on the more productive reservoirs in the Lower Congo basin. However, the phenomenal success of the Early Cretaceous pre-salt reservoirs in Brazil brought the exploration potential of the Kwanza back into view. The shared geological history of the two basins led explorers to believe the pre-salt play in the Kwanza Basin could hold giant deposits of oil, and the 2010/2011 deepwater licensing round was highly competitive. To date 10 discoveries have been made in the deepwater pre-salt play, which is the focus of this analysis. However, discoveries so far contain considerable quantities of gas, and given the lack of a gas market and uncertainties around commercialisation, future exploration will focus solely on liquids. Full details are available to download in excel and pdf format.