Cairn Energy has begun drilling the FAN South-1 exploration well into the South Fan prospect, offshore Senegal, Petroleum Africa reported.

According to Offshore Energy Today, FAR Limited, a partner in the project, released a statement indicating that the well is the first pure exploration well to be drilled in the deepwater basin offshore Senegal since the discovery wells of FAN-1 and SNE-1 in 2014.

FAR estimates that the South Fan prospect holds 34m barrels of recoverable oil on the best estimate basis, with an 18% chance of success.

FAR noted that the FAN South-1 well will also assess the potential for improved reservoir presence and quality in the basin that will aid in the evaluation of the FAN-1 well results.

FAR’s Managing Director, Cath Norman, said, “Fan South-1 gives us the opportunity to gain valuable information on reservoir presence and quality and to better understand the substantial potential of the large, deep-water basin area. After successfully completing the appraisal of the SNE Field, it is exciting for the joint venture to be back drilling a pure exploration target.”