South African energy and chemicals group Sasol has completed drilling two gas wells in southern Mozambique and has since turned its attention to the development of two commercial oil reservoirs, located in close proximity to its producing gas fields in Temane and Pande, reported Engineering News.

According to Sasol Exploration and Production International Senior VP, John Sichinga, the two gas wells were drilled first so as to support government plans to use the feedstock in a 400MW Mozambique gas-to-power plant, informed Ecofin Agency.

The energy and chemical group has already started producing from existing wells and processing gas at a four-train central processing facility (CPF) in Temane, from where it is being exported to markets in South Africa and Mozambique. Sichinga added that the existing field development’s attention is now shifting to oil. The drilling of the first oil rim well started in early October in Inhassoro.  Later on, the campaign will move to the six other oil wells sites to ratify adequate oil feedstock for a liquid processing facility (LPF), set aside for development alongside the existing CPF.

Sichinga explained that the LPF is being designed to produce 15,000bb/d of light oil, as well as 20 000t/y of liquid petroleum gas (LPG), add: “We are working with the Mozambican authorities on options to either export the oil and LPG, or to sell the output in-country.”