RE:RE:RE:Agete-1 Oil Discovery in Kenya Recent exploration. During 2012, Kenya drilled five wells, including the first well offshore since Pomboo-1 in 2006.Ngamia-1 was the first well to be drilled on onshore Block 10BB by Tullow Oil, and its partner, Africa Oil. The well was spudded in the South Lokichar basin and discovered light oil in multiple zones. In August 2012, Apache began drilling its Mbawa-1 well offshore. The well was drilled in 864 m of water and discovered gas in its shallowest objective. The well encountered about 52 m of net gas in Cretaceous sandstones, but it failed to discover hydrocarbons in its secondary, deeper objective. Tullow spudded the third well, Twiga South-1, onshore on Block 13T, directly west of Block 10BB. The well was announced as an oil discovery, the second in the South Lokichar basin, after encountering 30 m of net oil pay with hydrocarbon shows over a gross interval of 796 m. Tullow also drilled the fourth well, Paipai-1 in the Anza basin. Located on Block 10A, Paipai discovered “light hydrocarbon shows…while drilling a 55-m thick gross sandstone interval.” The well was suspended in March 2013, pending further evaluation. Offshore, Anadarko completed the drilling of its Kubwa wildcat offshore on Block L-7, which encountered non-commercial oil shows in reservoir quality sands.
Future plans. During 2013, a record number of exploration wells is planned, both onshore and offshore, as operators are reaching the end of their first phase of exploration which, in most cases, requires a well commitment. Following the Kubwa well, Anadarko is mobilizing the Deepwater Millenium rig to Block 11B, south of Block L-7, to drill the Kiboko prospect. Both of these wells have the objective of discovering oil.
Tullow, which has the largest operated acreage in Kenya, has an E&A program consisting of up to 13 wells. Following the drilling of Paipai, it is expected to spud the Etuko prospect on Block 10BB onshore. The Ekales prospect (formally known as Kongoni) is planned to be drilled during the year. Africa Oil also plans to spud a well on Block 9, which it operates. This will be the first well on the block since CNOOC’s failed Bogal-1 well in 2009. Next on Africa Oil’s drilling agenda is the Bahasi prospect during second-half 2013. BG Group, which operates Blocks L-10A and L-10B, aims to drill a well by the end of 2013. FAR Ltd, which operates block L-6, is seeking a farm-in partner to assist with a well this year. Ophir Energy has a well planned for 2014.