Angola: Finds for BP, start-up for ExxonMobil

BP MADE its eighth oil discovery in the ultra deep-water Block 31 last month, just weeks after making its seventh find in the block. As a result of the two discoveries the firm says it is "evaluating development concepts" for the block's southeast area, where two other finds have been made. Meanwhile, BP is understood to be nearing a development decision for the four fields making up the block's Northeast Development Area (NDA) – likely to become the first development in the country's ultra deep-water areas. Last month's find was made with the Astraea-1 well, drilled by the Jack Ryan drillship in 1,496 metres of water. The well, which tested 6,513 barrels a day (b/d), was drilled only 10 km