BW Energy deems Bourdon oil discovery off Gabon commercial

LIBREVILLE, April 22, 2025 – BW Energy has confirmed the commercial viability of the Bourdon oil discovery offshore Gabon, with estimated recoverable reserves of 25 million barrels, the Norwegian company said on Tuesday.

The DBM-1 ST2 appraisal well has verified a significant oil discovery with quality reservoir characteristics and fluid properties in the Bourdon prospect within the Dussafu licence. The company estimates 56 million barrels of oil in place, of which approximately 25 million barrels are considered recoverable.

“The appraisal well confirms the potential for establishing a new development cluster with a production facility following the MaBoMo blueprint. We expect at least four producing wells,” CEO Carl K. Arnet said. “We continue to successfully expand the Dussafu reserve base which, together with multiple additional prospects yet to be to be drilled, will support long-term production and value-creation in Gabon.”

Bourdon’s oil has the lowest viscosity of the Dussafu discoveries to date, with an average of 3.5 centipoise compared to 5 cp and 7 cp at the Hibiscus/Tortue and Ruche fields respectively. Lower viscosity oil typically reduces the cost of extraction and transportation.

Evaluation of well data confirmed approximately 11.2 metres of pay within a 35.2-metre hydrocarbon column in the Gamba formation. Drilled by the Norve jackup rig, the well reached a total depth of 4,731 metres.

Situated 15 kilometres west of FPSO BW Adolo and 7.5 kilometres southeast of the MaBoMo facility, the Bourdon find enables BW Energy to book additional reserves beyond those in its 2024 Statement of Reserves.

BW Energy is an independent oil and gas company focused on proven offshore basins in West Africa and Brazil. The company develops discovered resources through phased developments to unlock value while limiting risk and investment. BW Energy’s key assets include the Dussafu licence offshore Gabon, the Maromba field offshore Brazil and a participating interest in the Kudu gas project offshore Namibia.

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