National Oil Corporation ready to look for oil

By Macharia Kamau

The National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) finally seems set to start exploring for oil in the country, and is keen on become the first indigenous firm in the region to discover oil.

The state run oil company is looking for a contract to undertake geological studies on an oil exploration block that it has been allocated by the Government. The outcome of the studies is expected to guide NOCK in the exploratory drilling.

 “The National Oil has placed an international tender for the acquisition of 2D Seismic Data and its Processing Services, as well as Magneto Telluric Survey in the Southern part of Block 14T. The acquisition of the data is part of the ongoing preparatory works in readiness for drilling in the area,” said Sumayya Hassan Athmani, the NOCK managing director in a statement on Monday.

The studies on block 14T — that is located in Magadi Basin in the South Rift — will establish the potential that the block has before drilling commences.

“The acquisition of seismic data for block 14T is also key in establishing the hydrocarbon potential of the block and its outcome will be utilised to improve basin study related hydrocarbon exploration models of the region,” Ms Athmani added.

A two dimensional (2D) seismic survey is an exploration method used to create a map of what is beneath the earth’s surface, and helps geologists identify possible hydrocarbon deposits in an exploration area.

NOCK said it has done some preliminary studies on Block 14T that have been used to create geological maps for the area.

The firm has in the past been marketing the blocks with hydrocarbon potential to international oil companies, but recently decided to venture into oil and gas exploration (upstream activities). It was assigned the block in Magadi area and has, for some time now, been undertaking preparation to start drilling.

There is high optimism that oil exploration firms operating in Kenya will find commercially viable deposits of oil and natural gas. This is especially so after Uganda that discovered 3.5 billion barrels, and Tanzania that has recently discovered natural gas north of the country. Experts argue that the three countries lie in the same geological belt.