More oil deposits found in Turkana’s Ngamia 1 well

By Macharia Kamau

Turkana County seems to be an area with immense hydrocarbons with firms prospecting oil in the area reporting more deposits. They are optimistic of hitting even larger and better quality of oil deposits in the yet to be drilled wells.

Africa Oil — a partner to Tullow Oil  — announced yesterday it had found an additional 43 metres of potential oil  in its Ngamia 1 well.

The firm has suspended further drilling of the well at 2,340 metres, against the planned 2,700 metres, saying the depth can give a clear picture of what the block holds.

It plans to commence testing at the block to determine commercial viability of the oil present.

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“In addition to the greater than 100 metres of net light oil pay in the Upper Lokhone Sand section previously reported, the well encountered an additional 43 metres of potential oil pay,” said Keith Hill, president and chief executive of Africa Oil in a statement yesterday.

“Testing equipment including downhole pumps is being mobilised and the intention is to test a number of the zones in the Upper and Lower Lokhone Sands in the near future to confirm the full potential of this discovery.”

Tullow Oil has been drilling the well located in Lokichar area of Turkana since early this year.

In March, it reported it had found oil deposits that have a cumulative thickness of 100 metres after drilling a depth of about 1,000 metres.

The firm also said it would start drilling what it calls Twiga 1 well in Block 13T, 30 kilometres north east of Ngamia. It plans to drill another well in Block 10A and another one in the Omo region of Ethiopia, all to be concluded in the course of this year.

Experts say Kenya falls in the same geological belt as Uganda and Tanzania that have  natural gas and oil, therefore should also hold commercially viable deposits of oil.

Uganda discovered commercial hydrocarbon deposits along its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006, and Tullow says reserves of 1.1 billion barrels are confirmed and believes there are a further 1.4 billion barrels left to find.

Last week, the Energy ministry issued four firms with licences to prospect for oil in seven of the remaining 12 offshore blocks in the country.

Eni of Italy got three licences for  three offshore blocks while Total will prospect on one block.

North American firms Rift Energy, ERHC Energy and Pacific Seaboard signed licensing agreement for the exploration of one offshore block each.

“The Ngamia discovery has been an amazing start to our drilling campaign. The large number of leads shows the major potential of these basins,” said Hill.