Cheptuket-1 Well in Kenya’s Block 12A on course to complete in February

Block 12A basin opener Cheptuket well is still on its drilling schedule and is set to complete in February according to block operator Tullow Oil in its last update.

The well that commenced drilling on 28th December 2014 by the PR Marriott Rig-46 is expected to test a basin bounding structural closure in the undrilled Kerio Valley Basin, in a similar structural setting to the successful Ngamia and Amosing discoveries in the South Lokichar Basin.

The well that completes the explorer’s current drilling campaign was earlier set to commence drilling in October 2014 with logistics issues being part of the delays.

“Cheptuket-1 will likely complete drilling in February after which the PR Marriott Rig-46 will demobilise, marking the end of the current drilling campaign,” the company said in a statement.

Success at Cheptuket-1 is also important for Tullow as the company is yet to make any new discovery since 2014. The company has witnessed a number of disappointments in 2015 including at the Elmesek-1 well in the North Turkana basin which failed to find commercial hydrocarbons last November.

The latest statement by Tullow however sets the ground for confusion after its JV partner Africa Oil said the venture would drill up to four new basin openers in the South Lokichar and the Turkana Lake Basin’ in 2016 in a presentation to investors.

Among prospects on the pipeline according to the presentation include: Tulya, Thilli, Linga or Lukwa in South Kerio Block 10BB the and the North Samaki Prospect the first test of the ‘Turkana Lake Basin’ in Block 10BA.

There is however hope of more activity in northern Kenya after Tullow Oil allocated a $100million budget in 2016 towards exploration. There is also expected to be more activity in the area in the pre-development with the company having already set aside an additional $150 million towards this stage.