Royal Dutch Shell announced Wednesday that its Leopard-1 well, offshore Gabon, has encountered a “substantial” gas column that contains approximately 655 feet of net gas pay in a pre-salt reservoir. Leopard-1 is located around 90 miles off the Gabonese coast. It was drilled in 6,920 feet of water to a total vertical depth of approximately 16,600 feet. Shell and its partners plan to conduct an appraisal program to further determine resource volumes.

Shell Upstream International Director Andy Brown commented in a company statement:

“Shell has been exploring in Gabon for over 50 years. This latest deep water discovery is a testament to the innovation of our explorers in pursuing new plays, and application of our global sub-surface expertise.”

Leopard-1 was drilled in license BCD10, which is operated by Shell (which holds a 75-percent stake). CNOOC Limited holds a 25-percent interest in the license.