Africa Oil, Tullow encounters no oil in Ethiopia’s Gardim-1 exploration well

Africa Oil Corp. has announced that the Gardim-1 exploration well, drilled on the eastern flank of the Chew Bahir Basin in the South Omo licence, onshore Ethiopia, has reached a total depth of 2,468 metres in basement, without encountering commercial oil.

The well intersected lacustrine and volcanic formations, similar to those found in the Shimela-1 well on the north-western flank of the basin. Minor intervals with thermogenic gas shows were intersected just above basement. The well will be plugged and abandoned and drilling operations will now be demobilised whilst these results are integrated into the regional basin model.

Meanwhile seismic interpretation continues on independent prospectivity elsewhere in the licence and the next phase of our Ethiopia exploration campaign will target these prospects.

Africa Oil President and CEO of Africa Oil Keith Hill says that the company is still commited to exploration in Ethiopia’s South Omo block and will be undertaking seismic programs this year in both the Rift Basin Area and Adigala blocks with drilling planned for next year.

“While we are disappointed that neither well in the Chew Bahir basin recovered oil, we are still committed to further exploration in Ethiopia including the South Omo Block. The presence of an active petroleum system has been confirmed in the Western portion of the South Omo Block in the Sabisa and Tutule wells and further analysis will be undertaken on the Shimela and Gardim wells to determine if further exploration is warranted,” Hill said.

Angus McCoss, Exploration Director, Tullow Oil plc commented today, “We have now drilled two independent wildcat wells in the Chew Bahir Basin, neither of which encountered commercial oil. Whilst our analysis continues, initial indications suggest that the targeted seismic anomalies related to lavas that flowed into a lake basin. Having gained valuable data, including evidence of thermogenic gas, we look forward to the next phase of our exploration campaign in Ethiopia.”