Cameroon’s Victoria Oil and Gas gives Bonaberi gas supply update

Victoria Oil and Gas (VOG), the emerging Cameroon utility company, has announced that drilling of a 678 m single shot pilot borehole was completed under the Wouri River to Bonaberi in Douala, Cameroon on 31 July 2014.

Once the borehole is reamed out and all pipework connected and tested, this extension will open a new market for Gaz du Cameroun (GDC), the wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

Eleven Gas Supply Agreements (GSAs) have been signed to date with Bonaberi customers and others are under negotiation.

First horizontal borehole drilled under a major river in Cameroon

The drilling was undertaken by contractors Britanica HDD International under the supervision of GDC staff. This is the first time a horizontal borehole has been drilled for these purposes under a major river in Cameroon. The pilot borehole, some 250 mm in diameter will be progressively reamed out to enable the pulling through of 400 mm pipe. This pipe will then be connected to the existing Douala network and the new Bonaberi network, therefore linking two major gas markets.

The operation undertaken by Britanica involved drilling the pilot borehole from the Chantier Naval area and exiting in the Magzi area of Bonaberi. The maximum depth of the borehole below the Wouri River bed was 13 m.

Pipeline plans

On the Bonaberi side, the first phase of pipeline planned is 1.5 km. To date, 860 m of 400 mm pipeline and 1129 m of spur lines have been laid. GDC and Britanica are now working to connect the first thermal customers to the Bonaberi network. GDC also continues to work on customer connections on the Douala city side of the river.

Chairman Kevin Foo, said: "The completion of the pilot borehole under the Wouri River is a major milestone for the company and a credit to our contractors Britanica and the GDC team. Once drilling is completed and the pipeline hooked up we can then deliver first gas to Bonaberi customers.” 

Adapted from press release by Cecilia Rehn

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/04082014/cameroon-victoria-oil-and-gas-gives-bonaberi-gas-supply-update/