Africa Oil has announced that Tullow Oil, operator of Block 10BB in Kenya, has commenced drilling at the Etuko prospect, which reportedly contains gross estimates of 231mn barrels of oil
The Etuko-1 well will target a new play area in the Lockichar Basin where a working petroleum system has been confirmed by recent discoveries at Ngamia and Twiga.
This well will focus on the eastern flank play where oil was discovered in 1992 by Shell at the Loperot-1 well on the Lower Lokhone and Auwerwer sands in the Lodwar South sub-basin. Both sands have shown to be high quality reservoirs containing oil.
Africa Oil said that testing operations will continue on the Ngamia #1 well, also in Block 10BB in Kenya, and drilling operations continue on the Sabisa #1 well in the South Omo Block in Ethiopia. The results for both are expected in June and May respectively.
Keith Hill, CEO of Africa Oil, said, “The Etuko prospect is one of the most attractive prospects in our portfolio and has the potential to open up an new play fairway on the eastern side of the already proven Lockichar Basin. A number of additional prospects and leads will be de-risked on this ‘eastern flank’ play if the Etuko-1 well is successful.”
