Oil Discovered in North Kenya

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced yesterday to Kenyans the discovery of oil in the East Africa’s economic powerhouse.

Kibaki said, “Oil has been found in Ngamia-1 exploration well in Northern Kenya, Turkana. It is the first time Kenya has made such a discovery.”

Tullow drilled an intermediate depth of 1,041 metres to hit the oil, which has similar properties to the light waxy crude discovered in Uganda. The difference is that while Tullow has to dig deeper to reach the oil in Kenya, Uganda’s oil is closer to the surface—about 600-800 metres.

In their communiqué, Tullow Oil said it confirmed the discovery after the well encountered in excess of 20 metres of net oil in a reservoir capable of producing hydrocarbons.

“This is an excellent start to our major exploration campaign in the East African rift basins of Kenya and Ethiopia,” said Angus McCoss, the exploration director.

“To make a good oil discovery in our first well is beyond our expectations and bodes well for the material programme ahead of us.”