Oil, gas discoveries announced in South Africa, Guyana

 France's Total reported an offshore gas finding in South Africa while ExxonMobil separately reported two new discoveries offshore Guyana.

"Total has opened a new world-class gas and oil play and is well positioned to test several follow-on prospects on the same block," Total said Thursday in a release about results of deepwater drilling at its Brulpadda prospects in South Africa.

The drilling found 187 feet of "net gas condensate pay," Total said.

ExxonMobil separately announced two new discoveries offshore Guyana, one of them involving high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir.

"We expect this area to progress to a major development hub providing substantial value to Guyana, our



partners and ExxonMobil," the company said in a release from Steve Greenlee, president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company.

Following the success of Brulpadda and confirmation of the play potential, Total and its partners "plan to acquire 3D seismic this year, followed by up to four exploration wells on this license."

The South African Block 11B/12B, with water depths up to nearly 6,000 feet, is operated by Total with a 45 percent participation, Qatar Petroleum with 25 percent, CNR with 20 percent and Main Street, a South African consortium, with 10 percent.

ExxonMobil said that while one of the findings at the Tilapia 1 well involved oil-containing sandstone reservoirs, the other discovery was at the Haimara-1 well, which "encountered approximately 207 feet of high-quality, gas-condensate bearing sandstone reservoir."