By Ibrahim Kasita
TULLOW Oil, the firm exploring oil and gas in western Uganda, has announced another oil discovery in the Kigogole-1 exploration well. The well is in the Butiaba region on Block 2 in the Albertine Graben.
“Kigogole is the fifth successive discovery in the Butiaba region within the last five months - an excellent record of geological success and operational efficiency,†Aidan Heavey, the chief executive officer, said in a statement.
“This discovery reinforces the high potential of this area and in particular the Victoria Nile delta play.
“The success in shallow horizons at Kigogole has very positive implications for the remainder of the Butiaba campaign which is targeting prospects located up dip and on trend with the significant Kasamene discovery,†Heavey added.
Drilling operations on the well started on August 25, the statement indicated. It added that the well was drilled to a total depth of 616 metres and encountered two oil zones.
The statement said this was the shallowest section where oil had been encountered in Uganda to date. The well was the third test on the Victoria Nile delta play within the Lake Albert Rift Basin.
Tullow said the Kigogole-1 well was being suspended as a potential future production well. The drilling rig will move to Block 1 to commence a three-well exploration programme.
Tullow has focused on the Lake Albert area where sizeable leads have been identified.
In 2006, successful oil wells were drilled on the Mputa, Waraga and Nzizi prospects in Block 2.
The Waraga-1 well flowed at a cumulative rate of about 12,000 barrels per day, while the Mputa-1 well tested 1,120 barrels per day.
In early 2007, the Kingfisher-1 well was drilled and was found to be one of the largest prospects identified on Lake Albert.
The well found three significant oil-bearing intervals and tested at flow rates of about 14,000 barrels per day.
Tullow intends to build a 4,000-barrel-a-day refinery and a power plant when it begins producing oil next year.
The firm has agreed with Norwegian power firm Jacobsen Elektro to build and install a heavy-fuel thermal plant in Hoima.