Anadarko Petroleum has begun drilling the Lagosta-2 appraisal well in its prolific Area 1 gas play off Mozambique.
Partner Cove Energy said the probe spudded on 11 December with results expected in late January.
Area 1 is currently estimated to hold between 15 trillion and 30 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas, which will be fed to an onshore liquefaction complex near Palma in Cabo Delgado province.
Cove has an 8.5% stake in Area 1 and has made it clear it wants to offload this interest before major capital spending starts on the development.
