Scottish oil explorer Cairn Energy has been given approval to start production at 23 wells off Senegal.
The Edinburgh-based AIM-listed company said the West African country's government had approved the Rufisque Offshore, Sangomar Offshore and Sangomar Deep Offshore (RSSD) joint venture Exploitation Plan. The project is Senegal's first oil development.
Sangomar is expected to yield around 100,000 barrels of oil a day with first oil due in early 2023, and a total of 230 million barrels of oil. Cairn originally drilled deep water wells off Senegal in 2014 and has since been developing the area. The joint venture will involve a stand-alone floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility which will process the oil before tankers export it.
The RSSD joint venture comprises of Senegal-based Woodside Energy, Cairn subsidiary Capricorn Senegal Ltd, FAR Ltd and Petrosen, the national oil company of Senegal.
