Tullow, Africa Oil see positive appraisal activity in North Western Kenya

Block 10BB Tullow Oil operator and joint venture partner Africa Oil have reported that the Ngamia 7 well located approximately 1.2 kilometres east of Ngamia-3 and was drilled to test the eastern flank of the Ngamia field encountered up to 132 metres of net oil pay and expanded the proven extent of the field.

Static pressure data from the Ngamia-1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 wells supports connectivity between the wells at multiple reservoir horizons, which will be further tested with the planned Ngamia EWT.

At the Ekale-2 appraisal well located in Block 13T which is currently being drilled by the Weatherford 804 rig the well is currently at a depth of 2,817 metres and encountered 50 to 70 metres of potential net oil pay

The well is currently being deepened a further 1,000 metres to test a high-amplitude seismic event with the final results from the Ekales-2 well expected to be available around the end of March.

“There is further good news from our appraisal programme in Northern Kenya where the Ngamia-7 well has successfully tested and extended the eastern flank area of the oil field. The results to date from Ekales-2 are also very encouraging and we are very pleased with the results from the 3D seismic survey which reveals there is important additional prospectivity in this exciting new oil province,” says Tullow oil exploration director Angus McCoss.

Elsewhere tests on the well flow in Block 10BB at the Amosing-1 and Amosing-2A shows that Amosing-1 well flowed at a combined maximum rate of 5,600 barrels of oil per day from five zones and the Amosing-2A well flowed at a combined maximum rate of 6,000 bopd from four zones, the fifth zone being in the aquifer with both wells demonstrating high quality reservoir sands and flowed 31 to 38° API dry oil under natural flow.

Pressure data during the initial clean-up flows shows connectivity between the two completed wells in the upper three zones with further production testing required to test connectivity in the lower two zones supporting the static pressure data which indicated connectivity between the Amosing-1, 2, 2A and 3 wells in multiple zones.

The Amosing EWT forward program is to conduct longer-term flow and water injection tests, commencing mid-March with results expected in the second quarter of this year.

The PR Marriott 46 rig which completed the Ngamia-7 well has in the meantime recently spud the Amosing-4 well located approximately 1 kilometre southeast of Amosing-1, to test the southern extent of the field.

“We are very encouraged by the continued strong results from the exploration and appraisal program in the South Lokichar Basin, which are both growing the resource base and reducing uncertainty. The strong initial Amosing EWT results continue to reinforce that we have a world-class oil basin on our hands,” says Africa Oil CEO Keith Hill.

Following completion of the Amosing-4 well the PR-46 rig will mobilize back to the Ngamia field to drill and complete the Ngamia-8 well, located in the centre of the eastern fault block between the Ngamia-3, 5, 6 and 7 wells, and will be the main production well for the EWT. Additionally, two of the existing suspended Ngamia wells will be completed as EWT wells. Initial flow testing of the Ngamia EWT wells is expected to commence around mid-year.

The two partners were however bit dust at the first well drilled in the large North Turkana Basin (west of Lake Turkana where numerous naturally occurring oil slicks and seeps have been observed) the Engomo-1 exploration well in Block 10BA was drilled to a total depth of 2,353 metres utilising the SMP-106 rig.

The well encountered interbedded sandstones, siltstones and claystones but no significant oil or gas shows were encountered and the well has been plugged and abandoned.

The SMP-5 rig which installed production completions in the Amosing-1 and Amosing-2A wells in preparation for an Extended Well Test of the field has been released while the SMP-106 rig while drilled the Engomo-1 well has been demobilized.

The Weatherford 804 rig is expected to be released in April after completing the Ekale-2 appraisal well.