Oil flowed at a rate of nearly 7,000 barrels per day from a test well off the coast of Angola, Italian energy company Eni announced.
Eni and its partners at Angola's oil and natural gas company Sonangol said they tested a major oil discovery off the coast of the country.
The company said it uncovered light crude oil at the Cabaca South East-2 well in 1,500 feet of water about 300 miles from the coast.
Eni said that oil flowed from the well at a rate of about 7,000 barrels per day during initial testing stages.
The Italian energy company said the latest discovery increased the initial estimate of the oil at the field by at least 30 percent.
Deep-water oil explorations like Eni's discovery in Angola are under scrutiny in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill last spring and summer.
"The commercial discoveries drilled to date provide evidence of the success of the exploration activities carried out so far by the Eni-led consortium, in full compliance with safety and environmental protection standards," the company added.
Eni and its partners at Angola's oil and natural gas company Sonangol said they tested a major oil discovery off the coast of the country.
The company said it uncovered light crude oil at the Cabaca South East-2 well in 1,500 feet of water about 300 miles from the coast.
Eni said that oil flowed from the well at a rate of about 7,000 barrels per day during initial testing stages.
The Italian energy company said the latest discovery increased the initial estimate of the oil at the field by at least 30 percent.
Deep-water oil explorations like Eni's discovery in Angola are under scrutiny in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill last spring and summer.
"The commercial discoveries drilled to date provide evidence of the success of the exploration activities carried out so far by the Eni-led consortium, in full compliance with safety and environmental protection standards," the company added.
