Luanda — A new oil deposit dubbed "Ngoma 1" was discovered in the deep waters of Block 15/06, at 350 kilometres from Luanda, in the Angolan offshore, by the National Fuel Society of Angola (Sonangol) and the ENI oil firm, reads a communiqué from the Angolan company delivered to ANGOP this Tuesday.

According to the press release of Sonangol, the miocenic sandstone reservoir containing a 127-metre oil column, with high permeability, was drilled in a water layer of 1,421 metres until a total vertical depth of 3,348 metres.

The document adds that the reservoir's discovery, near the Sangos deposits, whose petroleum was tested with a density of 22,5 API degrees, with debits superior to the predictions, confirmed the high mineral potential of Block 15/06, therefore the need to continue with other researches to develop the western part of the Block.

With Sonangol EP as the concessionary and ENI as operator, the Block 15/06 is a joint venture among Sonangol Research and Productions (15%), SSI Fifteen Limited (20 %), Total (15%), Falcon Oil Holding Angola AS (5%), Petrobras International Braspetro BV (5%) and Statoil Angola Award AS (5%).

ENI, a firm to which the Block was entrusted in November 2006, after an international tender, aims at reinforcing its cooperation with Sonangol since it considers Angola as one of the strategic countries for the future growth of its oil and gas production.