CAPITAL: Malabo

MONETARY UNIT: CFA franc

REFINING CAPACITY: None

OIL PRODUCTION: 42,000 b/d

OIL RESERVES: 12 million bbl

GAS RESERVES: 1.3 tcf

Equatorial Guinea had its first oil discovery, Zafiro, in March 1995 in the Gulf of Guinea. Until then, its only hydrocarbon production was condensate from Alba gas/condensate field, discovered in 1984. Alba went on production in December 1991, flowing from the Miocene Isongo formation at depths reaching 12,557 ft.

Mobil and United Meridian Corp. started production from Zafiro field in August 1996, some 18 months after discovery. It was producing 36,000 b/d by early 1997 and 43,000 b/d by mid-1997. Production was expected to be about 80,000 b/d by early 1998.

The companies hold a total of 1.825 million acres on Blocks B, D, A, and C. They drilled three satellites near Zafiro on Block B in 1996: Topacio, Amatista, and Rubi. Three more, Jade, Opalo and Serpentina, followed in 1997. The wells are in 450-1,650 ft of water.

The production came from the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene Qua Iboe sand member of Agbada formation, but the companies had been selectively testing Isongo at 8,000-11,400 ft.

Fourth quarter 1997 saw Mobil-UMC collecting large amounts of 3D and 2D seismic data over the areas. This was to be a prelude to significant drilling in 1998.

That work is designed to delineate the not yet commercial Tsavorita Qua Iboe oil discovery in 185 ft of water near Cameroon waters on Block D and first drilling on Block A east and north of Bioko Island. Northern Block A is geologically similar to Blocks B and D. Southern Block A is in the Douala basin. D and A are in 100-200 ft of water.

The companies had not yet drilled on Block C, which extends as far as 90 miles west of Bioko Island.

UMC said the companies had 15 different producing horizons at Zafiro covering a 3,000 ft vertical interval. During 1997 it recognized at least four productive stratigraphic intervals within the Qua Iboe formation in the Zafiro complex with remarkable consistency below the gas-oil contact and above the oil-water contact. They had penetrated Isongo with only two or three wells.

Zafiro field`s floating production facility is about 20 miles southeast of Mobil-operated Qua Iboe oil production off Nigeria.

Mobil-UMC exchanged data with adjacent owners CMS Nomeco group, which operates Alba field, and Parenco and Mobil, which operate to the north in Cameroon.

The group led by CMS Nomeco held 3D seismic data over the entire block that contains Alba field and planned further exploratory drilling.

Processing activity

An LPG plant on Bioko island started up in January 1997, extracting about 2,500 b/d of LPG and 400 b/d of condensate piped from Alba gas/condensate field. The field averages about 6,000 b/d.

Raytheon Engineers & Constructors had a contract from Noble Affiliates unit Samedan to prepare budget estimates for a 2,500 metric ton/day methanol plant on Bioko Island. It would ultimately use gas from Alba field.