Africa Oil has announced that it is aiming to have four operational rigs in East Africa by the end of 2013
In its 2012 financial and operating report released recently, Africa Oil said the oil rigs would be located in Kenya and Ethiopia. The company said the focus of these rigs would be to continue drilling and testing wells in the Lokichar sub-basin in Kenya and to drill potential basin-opener wells in the Turkana and the Chew B’hir basins in the tertiary rift play in Ethiopia.
Africa Oil officials said, “The Ngamia-1 and Twiga South-1 light oil discoveries in the Lokichar sub-basin, combined with positive results from reservoir analysis and flow rate tests at Twiga South-1, has led to a significant increase in the pace of exploration focused on tertiary rift basins.
“The company and its partners will continue to acquire seismic data throughout the tertiary rift in Kenya and Ethiopia in an effort to add to its existing portfolio of drill-ready prospects.”
Africa Oil and its operating partner in Block 9 in Kenya are currently planning to drill the Bahasi-1 exploratory well.
“This well will be drilled on a large anti-clinal structure targeting tertiary and cretaceous sandstones where six billion barrels of oil was discovered along trend in Sudan in a similar geologic setting,” the report added.
A follow-up well was also being considered towards the end of 2013 in Block 9, it said.
Africa Oil in Blocks 7 and 8 in Ethiopia are currently planning to drill a well to appraise reservoir characteristics of Jurassic carbonates on the El Kuran oil accumulation.
“The main focus of this well will be to establish commercial rates, with acidising, fracking and horizontal sidetracks being considered,” the report said.
