The CEO of Springfield E&P, an indigenous oil exploration and production company, has revealed that the appraisal of the Afina-1x Well, located in the West Cape Three Points (WCTP) Block 2 offshore Ghana, is now underway.
This follows an international tribunal’s directive for the Ghanaian government to permit Springfield to proceed with the completion of the long-pending Afina-Sankofa unitisation process.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Okyere stated that the company’s ongoing well test and appraisal, valued at US$60 million, is part of its commitment to assess the Afina-1x well within three months of the tribunal’s ruling, highlighting Springfield’s dedication to deepwater operations.
He also mentioned that the Deepsea Bollsta Rig, which arrived at the Ghanaian oil field on October 17, 2024, was contracted by Springfield from Northern Ocean, a well-established Norwegian firm.
“We have a clear understanding of what being an upstream operator entails, so we have hired the best possible team with over 60 years of collective experience working for all the super-majors and majors of the world, and we work with all the best blue-chip companies to execute all technical works, studies, and drilling programs,” he is quoted by graphic.com.gh.
He added that, “Being a smaller operator but working with the same expertise and diligence as the big operators, we can make decisions swiftly to benefit all our stakeholders, including the government and people of Ghana.”
The Springfield CEO pointed out that significant challenges have affected the energy sector, which prompted the company to act swiftly in securing the Deepsea Bollsta Rig in record time.
“Our research has shown that during this busy time in the drilling industry, rigs would not be available for another year, and yet Springfield managed to find one, and drilling commenced. This has all happened within a space of three months,” he explained.
He mentioned that, despite previous obstacles, the company’s persistence and determination have allowed it to recover and successfully find a solution.
“We are upbeat about the outcome of the appraisal, and the data before us is very positive,” he stated.
On July 8, 2024, the International Court of Arbitration ruled that the Ghanaian government acted lawfully in issuing a unitisation directive in the case involving Eni Ghana Exploration and Production and Vitol Energy.
The court further ordered Springfield to complete the unitisation process within three months, prompting the company to secure a rig and fulfill all technical requirements to conduct a well test and appraise the Afina-1x well.