British oil company Tullow Oils exploration partner Africa Oil has found gas and oil deposits in northern Kenya
The firm's Ngamia-2 well encountered 39 metres of net oil pay and 11 metres of net gas pay after it was drilled to a depth of 3,030 metres, according to reports.
Officials from Africa Oil said that the PR Marriott 46 rig recently completed the Ngamia-2 well, which was drilled 1.7km from the Ngamia-1 discovery well, to test the northwest flank of the prospect.
Keith Hill, CEO of Africa Oil, said, "The discovery of indigenous gas in significant quantities in Block 9 has the potential to offer a far more cost effective fuel source for these power projects that will also provide positive environmental and local development benefits."
Tullow Oil is also exploring other wells like Twiga, Agete, Amosing, Ekales, Etuko and Ewoi. The oil and gas discoveries have paved way for a strong market, and the Kenyan government is in discussions with various power companies to initiate a gas-to-power project, stated reports.
Angus McCoss, exploration director of Tullow Oil, said, "The success of the Ngamia-2 well discovery builds on the major basin opening discovery well, Ngamia-1. With five rigs drilling in Kenya and Ethiopia, there is much to look forward to in the second half of the year."
In January 2014, Tullow Oil discovered oil at two exploration wells in Block 10BB in Turkana, increasing its oil discoveries in the South Lokichar Basin to over 600mn barrels.
