23rd Oct 2014 06:58
LONDON (Alliance News) - Tullow Oil PLC Thursday said it encountered hydrocarbon shows at the Kodos-1 wildcat exploration well in the Kerio Basin onshore Kenya, indicating the presence of an active petroleum system, but reservoirs were mixed quality alluvial sands close to the basin boundary fault at this well location.
In a statement, the oil & gas, exploration and production group said the Weatherford Rig-804 drilled Kodos-1 to a final depth of 2,500 metres, and the well will be plugged and abandoned. The rig will now be moved to drill the second well in the basin at Epir-1, 25 kilometres north of Kodos-1 in a separate sub-basin.
Tullow Oil said further drilling in the greater Kerio Basin can be expected during 2015, following up on the "encouraging" hydrocarbon shows at Kodos-1.
Kodos-1 exploration wildcat, which is in Block 10BB, is the first well drilled in the Kerio Basin.
Tullow Oil also said the Ekosowan-1 exploration well in the South Lokichar Basin extended the proven oil basin southwards having encountered a 900 metre section of near continuous oil shows throughout an interval of tight faulted sands.
The Ekosowan-1 well in block 10BB is the most southerly well drilled to date in the South Lokichar Basin, 12 kilometres south east and up-dip of the previous Amosing-1 oil discovery.
The Ekosowan area is located within the ongoing 3D seismic survey in the South Lokichar Basin. Tullow Oil said its acquisition is expected to complete in December. Follow up drilling, according to Tullow, will target better developed reservoir expected between Amosing-1 and Ekosowan-1, further away from the faulting at the basin margin.
According to Tullow, the Sakson PR-5 rig drilled the Ekosowan-1 well to a final depth of 2,029 metres. The well will be plugged and abandoned, Tullow said. After this, the Sakson PR-5 rig will be replaced by the new SMP-106 rig which is currently mobilising to the Engomo-1 wildcat well location, the first test of the North Turkana Basin.
Meanwhile, the Ngamia-4 appraisal well in South Lokichar Basin continued the appraisal of the Ngamia oil field. The well was drilled 1.1 kilometres west of the Ngamia-1 discovery well and encountered up to 120 metres of net hydrocarbon pay, of which up to 80 metres was oil. The well has been suspended for use in future appraisal and development activities, Tullow said.
According to Tullow, the PR Marriott Rig-46 drilled Ngamia-4 to a final depth of 1,814 metres and will now drill the Ngamia-5 appraisal well. This is designed to help assess reservoir connectivity in the Ngamia field, the largest oil discovery to date in the South Lokichar Basin.
Turning to the Twiga-2A well test in South Lokichar Basin, Tullow said the SMP-5 Workover Rig has completed four flow tests on the Twiga-2A well in Block 13T, achieving production rates between 150 and 3,270 barrels of oil per day under natural flow with no depletion. Tullow Oil said this is the highest oil production rate seen to date in Kenya.
Tullow said the maximum flow potential from the best zone could have increased to around 10,000 barrels of oil per day with optimised equipment. It said this demonstrates "excellent reservoir deliverability".
The SMP-5 rig will now move to the Amosing oil field to begin extended well testing, Tullow said, adding that production and injection interference testing, involving the Amosing-1 and 2A wells, will help provide dynamic flow characterisation of the Amosing stacked reservoirs.
Tullow Operates Blocks 10BB and 13T with 50% equity and is partnered by Africa Oil Corporation, also with 50%.
"The Kodos-1 well is the first test of the Kerio Basin and hydrocarbon shows provide encouragement, indicating the presence of an active petroleum system. The potential of the Kerio Basin remains highly prospective and the rig is now moving to drill the next well, Epir-1, in a sub-basin to the north of Kodos-1," Exploration Director Angus McCoss said in a statement.
"South Lokichar Basin activity continued with exploration and appraisal drilling and well testing. The Ekosowan-1 well encountered a significant interval of oil shows however reservoirs at this location were tight. We look forward to stepping out from Ekosowan towards the Amosing oil field in pursuit of better reservoirs. Appraisal and well testing success continues with Ngamia-4 finding a substantial section of oil pay and Twiga-2A recording our highest flow rates to date," McCoss added.
By Samuel Agini; [email protected]; @samuelagini
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