AfrOil: Invictus confirms presence of light oil, helium in Cabora Bassa well

Australia’s Invictus Energy has confirmed the presence of light liquid hydrocarbons and helium in Mukuyu-1, an exploration well drilled at its 80%-owned Cabora Bassa project in Zimbabwe. After completing compositional analyses for five priority mudgas samples acquired during the drilling of the Mukuyu-1/ST-1 well, Invictus concluded that light crude oil, a volatile grade with a high API number, or oil-associated gas condensate was present in the well’s shallower Upper Angwa reservoirs.

The presence of liquid hydrocarbons (light oil and condensate) is consistent with the observed fluorescence and elevated mudgas readings with heavier hydrocarbon components observed during the drilling of the Mukuyu-1/ST-1 well, Invictus said.

It also noted that there had been consistent shows of high-quality natural gas in the analysed samples. All of the gas has low inert content and contains less than 1% carbon dioxide, which means that it will require minimal processing, it explained. Several samples also contain commercial concentrations of helium gas, which will be an additional high-value by-product.