By Beatrice Obwocha
A UK-based firm that discovered oil in Turkana will soon start drilling for the fuel in a second site in the area.
Tullow Oil plc announced on Wednesday that it has suspended drilling at Ngamia-1 where light oil was discovered for future flow testing.
In a Trading Statement and Operational Update of the first half of the 2012 financial year posted on its website, the company announced that the rig used in drilling Ngamia will be moved to drill the second well, Twiga-1, that is 30 km away from the first site.
“Once this drilling has completed(in Twiga-1) it is planned to return to Ngamia-1 for flow testing and standard oil field pumping equipment is being mobilized for this test,” the company stated.
Tullow however stated that whilst the Ngamia discovery exceeded expectations, more exploration and appraisal activity will have to be done before commerciality can be declared.
The company has identified over 100 leads and prospects in seven related basins in the area and those located in the South Lokichar basin were substantially de-risked due to their proximity to Ngamia.
The company also announced that it will acquire additional rigs to drill wells in sections identified in the area for exploration.
The statement quoted Tullow’s CEO Aida Heavy saying that the company had posted success in its recent exploration that include Kenya.
“Tullow’s industry-leading exploration success has continued in the first half of 2012 with a major discovery in Kenya, the fourth new basin the Group has opened in five years,” he said.
Tullow issued the Trading Statement and Operational Update in respect of the first half of the 2012 financial year ended 30 June 2012.
This is in advance of the Group’s Half-Yearly Results, which will be released on July 25 this year.
