Predator Oil & Gas reveals promising MOU-5 drill results, unlocking new helium and sandstone targets in Morocco
() , a Jersey-based hydrocarbon explorer, issued an update on drilling at its MOU-5 well site in the Guercif licence onshore Morocco.
Predator announced positive preliminary results following the start of drilling at MOU-5 on March 3, 2025. Over the past 10 days, MOU-5 was successfully drilled to its planned target depth. said the top of the primary target (Domerian carbonate) had been encountered significantly deeper than expected due to the presence of mobilised salt above. This is good news for the project as it indicates a more effective topseal.
reported good quality resistivity over the top 50m of the Domerian carbonate. The zone will be further evaluated by a petrographic study to link the primary target section penetrated downtip to the main development and culmination of the carbonate bank northwest of the well. A post-drill evaluation of the MOU-5 structure showed the well was located c. 100m below crest of the Domerian carbonate bank culmination.
Additionally, MOU-5 detected a 1557 ppm helium show 16 meters above the primary target, correlated with a flat-lying fault linked to salt diapiric activity east of the well. Furthermore, Predator reported that MOU-5 unexpectedly encountered c. 30m of high-quality gross sand below Domerian, a feature previously unobserved in the Guercif Basin.
Looking ahead, data from MOU-5 will be analysed and incorporated into a new "Jurassic Project" that will focus on the core area of the Domerian structure to the northwest of MOU-5. While the presence of the Domerian carbonate has now been confirmed, a 3D seismic will be necessary to fully characterise the reservoir. said it will initiate a farmout process for the seismic data.
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Another positive update from Predator's MOU-5 well on the Guercif license onshore Morocco. The well successfully penetrated its Domerian carbonate primary target, supporting 's pre-drill play concept. The top 50m is now under petrophysical and petrographic review. In the meantime, the well has been suspended to allow future reentry, and the Star Valley Rig 101 remains stacked on location.
MOU-5's results reveal a new Jurassic play-opening trend never before tested in the Guercif Basin. Additionally, the 1557 ppm helium show found 16m above the primary target highlights additional value in the MOU-5 structure. Furthermore, the unexpected intercept of a high-quality sandstone interval below Domerian provides a new target in the basin and further upside potential.
The positive results, based on limited 2D data, justify the acquisition of more focused 3D data to clarify the updip potential, which will be accomplished through a farmout as the project's next milestone. In the meantime, existing data will be analysed while searches for a farm-in partner to join its new Jurassic Project. Given today's results, it is very likely that a partner will be found in the near term.
's portfolio will gain further diversification through the high-value gas asset, supported by Morocco's favourable fiscal regime. The prospective gross recoverable gas resource for the Titanosaurus structure - the primary reservoir target at MOU-5 - was last reported as 5.912 TCF (P50 upside case) on August 8, 2024.
Additionally, an independent report by Scorpion Geoscience in September 2024 highlighted the potential for helium on the Guercif license, with a prospective gross estimate of in-place He ranging from 104.31 BCF (P50 upside case) to 598.88 BCF (P10 upside case). Today's announcement further reinforces the added value of helium on the license.
The Moulouya (MOU) prospect is a low-risk proven gas play that is a potentially play-opening opportunity for shallow gas in multiple, high-quality reservoirs at depths of 2,000 to 5,000 ft. The prospect lies just 9 km from the Maghreb gas pipeline where significant spare capacity exists for the transport of gas either for domestic use or for export to the EU. Capex is expected to be very low given the shallow drilling depths, high recoveries per well based on potentially contiguous reservoir sands, anticipated quality of the dry gas, and proximity to the Maghreb pipeline.
Drilling at MOU-5 aligns with the ongoing global energy shift toward increased gas exploration, partly driven by dwindling gas reserves in Europe during the 2024/25 winter season, alongside geopolitical concerns over gas security and supply. European policymakers are further motivated by advancing net zero targets as gas has a significantly lower carbon footprint than competing hydrocarbons, making it a good transitional energy source. Moroccan gas is also a good hedge against energy price volatility that could result from current geopolitical and trade uncertainty.
While searches for a partner on Jurassic and waits on more data from MOU-5, it will focus on ramping up production across its Trinidad portfolio where it recently acquired Challenger Energy's assets; as well as completing more rigless testing at MOU-3 for the shallowest sand encountered in that well, not yet evaluated for a potential CNG initial development option.
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