Tullow finds second oil well in Kenya

NAIROBI - British explorer Tullow Oil and its partner Africa Oil Corp said yesterday they had encountered oil in a second well they are drilling in northern Kenya close to another one where they had struck oil earlier this year.

The two are drilling the wildcat well, known as Twiga-1, on onshore Block 13T, about 30km west of where they announced another oil discovery on Ngamia-1 well on Block 10BB in March. The commercial viability has yet to be ascertained.

“Drilling is on-going and an announcement of the drilling result is expected in early to mid-November after target depth has been achieved and necessary sampling and analysis has been completed.”

The results of the well had initially been expected by late October, but minor mechanical setbacks caused a delay.

The companies are still drilling, and are scheduled to reach a depth of 3,114 metres in the next two weeks, after which they will announce more information.

The discovery in Twiga South-1 increases the likelihood that there is a large reservoir, and that Kenya could become a petroleum producer and exporter should the oil found to be commercially viable.
Reuters