Corcel to Begin 326-km 2D Seismic Survey in Angola’s KON 16 Block with Exploration Well Planned for 2026
Independent oil and gas company Corcel plans to initiate a 326-kilometer 2D seismic data acquisition program in the second half of 2025, with the goal of drilling a new exploration well in Angola’s Block KON 16 approximately 12 months later.
The announcement was made during a Corcel-sponsored pre-conference workshop on September 2, ahead of the Angola Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition, held September 3-4.
As the operator of Block KON 16, located in Angola’s onshore Kwanza Basin, Corcel will leverage both new and legacy seismic data to support upcoming drilling activities.
Since acquiring the block, the company has received seven legacy 2D seismic datasets dating back to the 1970s from Angola’s National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency, along with six modern 2D lines collected by TGS in 2010 and acquired through Geokinetics.
The reprocessed data, received by Corcel in April 2025, enables the identification of both post-salt and pre-salt prospects.
“KON 16 has one well drilled in 1960: Tuenza-01. We also have 100% coverage of high-resolution eFTG data acquired in 2024 in partnership with Metatek.
By combining all these datasets, we can identify both post-salt and pre-salt prospects. This year, we will acquire over 300 kilometers of 2D seismic data,” said Richard Lane, COO of Corcel.
Looking ahead, Corcel plans to fully integrate all available technical data into its geological workflow. This includes the 1970s and 2010 vintage 2D seismic datasets, 2024 eFTG data, regional reports, and well and seismic data from areas beyond Block KON 16.
“We have to consider wells beyond KON 16—you cannot just focus on your own license. Many high-potential pre-salt and post-salt prospects have already been high-graded.
Our plan is straightforward: acquire seismic data, process and interpret it in Q1 2026, and drill an exploration well within 12 months,” Lane added.
