Africa Oil begins production at Ngamia-1 well in Kenya

Canada-based Africa Oil has begun production at the rate of 3,200 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) in the Ngamia-1 well on Block 10BB in Kenya.

The company plans to increase flow rates to around 5,400 BOPD with improved completion techniques and surface equipment.

Five drill stem tests were completed in the Auwerwer sandstones in the Ngamia-1 well, which flowed a similar quality of oil to those tested at the Twiga South-1 well in the same basin.

Operator Tullow Oil expects the Ngamia and Twiga fields to contain approximately 250 million barrels of recoverable oil.

Africa Oil also discovered oil in the Etuko prospect in Lokichar Basin in Block 10BB, which is expected to hold good reservoir properties in the Auwerwer and Upper Lokhone sequences.

The well encountered a thick section of lacustrine source rocks with interbedded oil-bearing sandstones in the Upper Lokhone sequence and is currently being drilled at the Lower Lokhone sequence.

Meanwhile, Africa Oil encountered reservoir-quality sands, oil and heavy gas shows in the Sabisa-1 well located on the South Omo Block in Turkana Basin in Ethiopia.

The company is also planning to drill nearby Tultule prospect, while other prospects have been mapped in the South Omo Block and adjacent Chew Bahir Basin.

Africa Oil is also preparing to drill the Bahasi prospect on Block 9 in Kenya and the El Kuran prospect on Block 8 in Ogaden Basin, Ethiopia.

The company will be the operator of the Bahasi well, while New African Global Energy will drill the El Kuran well.

Africa Oil CEO Keith Hill said: "We are very pleased with the results of the Ngamia-1 testing program which has confirmed the productivity of both the Lower Lokhone reservoir and the high quality Auwerwer reservoir and significantly increased the net pay in the well."

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Image: Africa Oil has commenced production at the Ngamia-1 well on Block 10BB in Kenya. Photo: courtesy of Dwight Burdette.