Tullow discovers oil at exploration wells in Kenya

Tullow Oil has announced two oil discoveries at the Amosing-1 and Ewoi-1 exploration wells in Block 10BB of onshore northern Kenya.

Updated estimates from the company’s discovered resources in this basin are set to be around 600 million barrels of oil, as a result of the latest successes and recently reported discoveries at Ekales-1 and Agete-1.

The company said that the overall potential for the basin is expected to be fully assessed over the next two years, through a significant programme of exploration and appraisal wells in excess of one billion barrels of oil.

The wells will be suspended for future flow testing to confirm the net pay counts, following the completion of logging operations.

The rigs will be moved to drill the Emong-1 well, adjacent to the Ngamia field, and the Twiga South-2 appraisal well, both in Block 13T. The partnership has elected not to continue into the next exploration phase in Block 10A in the country.

With a 50% interest, Tullow operates both the Amosing-1 and Ewoi-1 wells, while Africa Oil has a 50% non-operated interest.

Tullow and partners have agreed with the government of Kenya to commence development studies to fully assess the upside potential of the basin and also to conduct a comprehensive pre-FEED study of the export pipeline.

Tullow Oil COO Paul Mcdade said that the results to date are extremely positive for achieving a commercial development from the discoveries made in the basin.

"We will now be working with national and county governments with the aim of progressing both the upstream development and the associated export pipeline to project sanction in the period 2015/16," Mcdade added.