Tullow Oil, Swala Energy select drill target in Kenya’s Block 12B

Swala Energy (Kenya) Limited and Tullow Kenya B.V. have announced they have identified a prospect to be drilled in the second half of 2015 in block 12B.

This follows the successful 2D seismic campaign in Block 12B during the second quarter 2014 which identified ten structural leads.

Of these the Ahero “A” lead is considered as the first viable drilling candidate, as it has been covered by a number of seismic lines and has been estimated to carry a mean recoverable gross oil volume of 44mmbbls by Tullow.

This is based on two Miocene reservoir targets with two to three reservoir layers with most of the oil discoveries that have been found in the East African Rift System basins containing more than one reservoir layer in sediments ranging from Miocene to Pliocene age.

The map below shows Leads and Prospects over Block 12B following initial interpretation of the seismic data by Tullow and Swala. The Ahero “A” prospect is clearly shown.

The map also shows the interpreted basin morphology based on the data obtained during the 2013 gravity survey with dark blue areas indicating basin lows (the possible hydrocarbon source kitchen) and green areas as structural highs. The locations of the 2014 seismic lines are shown in yellow.

The Ahero “A” prospect is located on the northern margin of the Nyanza Graben and is transected by five seismic lines. It has an area of approximately 16 km² and is the first major structure that could potentially trap any migrating hydrocarbons from the basin.

Figure 2 shows the location of Ahero “A” on a Two Way Time (TWT) structure map of the upper mapped light blue reservoir horizon where the low, basin areas are identified in dark blue and the structural highs identified in green and red.

Figure 3 shows dip seismic line 108 across the structure with potential reservoir horizons. The section shows the Ahero “A” prospect to be a fault-bounded high.

According to Swala Energy CEO Dr. David Mestres Ridge the company continues to investigate other possible leads in the block.

“We are very excited at the decision by the remaining parties to drill Ahero “A”, one of a number of prospects identified in Block 12B and which ourtechnical teams are continuing to investigate. With our recently announced successful 2D seismic survey over the Moshi basin and the upcoming seismic survey in Kilombero, both in Tanzania, we are on track to develop a significant portfolio of leads and prospects to be tested in the coming year,” Ridge said.