Tullow strikes more oil in Turkana basin after drilling lull

Tullow Oil has reported a new oil find in a recently sunk well in Turkana’s South Lokichar area.

The firm said it had encountered substantial amounts of oil in the Emekuya-1 well, raising hopes that the basin might have more than the 750 million barrels of recoverable oil earlier indicated.

It had said the estimated amount of recoverable resources could reach a billion barrels with more drilling and testing.

Emekuya-1 is an appraisal well that aimed at establishing how further oil already discovered in other wells extended. Tullow said the well in block 13T had encountered 75 metres of net oil pay in two zones. Net oil pay refers to the continuous interval of oil in the well.

“The Emekuya-1 exploratory appraisal well has made an important discovery in the northern part of the South Lokichar Basin.

Appraisal campaign

This well has proven oil charge across a significant part of the Greater Etom structure and we are very encouraged by the quality and particularly the regional extent of the reservoir,” said Tullow Exploration Director Angus McCoss in a statement yesterday.

“We now look forward to the remainder of the Kenya exploration and appraisal campaign in support of the ongoing work to prepare this important asset for full field development.” The well had the objective of drilling a fault block on the flank of the Greater Etom structure, said the director. “It was drilled to a depth of 1,356 metres and penetrated reservoir quality Miocene sandstones which correlate to those seen in the successful Etom-2 well,” he added.

Tullow has now drilled four wells in the area since it resumed exploration in December after a lull following decline in oil prices that saw investments into the upstream sector slow down.