22 January 2015, News Wires – Africa-focused independent producer Tullow Oil said Thursday that it was encouraged by the results at its Epir-1 exploration well, onshore Kenya, in spite of it not being a discovery.
Tullow said the well encountered oil and wet gas shows over a 330-foot interval of non-reservoir quality rocks, demonstrating a working petroleum system in the North Kerio Basin. The well will be plugged and abandoned, following which the Weatherford 804 rig will move to the Ekales-2 location in the South Lokichar Basin – where the rig will conduct an appraisal of the discovery made by the Ekales-1 well.
Tullow reported that its Engomo-1 exploration well has commenced drilling. This is the first test of the prospective North Turkana Basin in Kenya Block 10BA and a result is expected during early March.
The firm also confirmed that it recently completed the drilling of the Ngamia-5, Ngamia-6 and Amosing-3 appraisal wells – with both Ngamia wells encountering several hundred feet of net oil pay. The Amosign-3 well on Block 10BB encountered approximately 350 feet of net oil pay in good-quality reservoir sands.
Meanwhile, Tullow has completed the acquisition of an approximately 350-square mile 3D seismic survey over several oil discoveries in the western basin-bounding fault play of the South Lokichar Basin. Fast-track processed data from this survey is already being used in the south of the basin.
Tullow Exploration Director Angus McCoss commented in a company statement:
“The Epir-1 wildcat well proved the existence of a working oil system in the North Kerio Basin, encouraging us to consider further exploration activities. The Ekales-2 exploratory appraisal well is a bold step-out away from the South Lokichar Basin bounding fault with follow up potential. Continued success in the appraisal of the Ngamia and Amosing oil fields is highly encouraging as we continue with development studies for the South Lokichar Basin.”
– Rigzone
