HARARE, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Australia-based Invictus Energy, currently prospecting for oil and gas in Zimbabwe, confirmed a gas discovery at its exploration site in the Cabora Bassa basin located north of the country Thursday.
"The discovery represents one of the most significant developments in the onshore Southern Africa oil and gas industry for decades," said Scott Macmillan, managing director of Invictus Energy, in a press release.
The company said that this discovery marks the first Triassic-aged hydrocarbon discovery in sub-Saharan Africa.
"The company has delivered an exceptional result from the first two wells drilled in Mukuyu, which provides us with significant running room in our large portfolio of prospects and leads for further discoveries in our acreage in the Cabora Bassa basin," the company said, adding that confirmation of gas and fluid properties from the recovered samples will occur after laboratory testing once the sample bottles are dispatched from the rig for analysis.
Zimbabwe's Mines and Mining Development Minister Soda Zhemu also confirmed the discovery on the same day, describing it as a major development in the onshore oil and gas sector in the Southern Africa region.
"This discovery will change the economic landscape of Zimbabwe," Zhemu said in a press release.
"We believe that this discovery will positively impact the economic and social development of Zimbabwe. Gas will also support the diversification of Zimbabwe's energy mix, enhance its energy security, and create jobs and opportunities for local communities," Zhemu added. ■
