Tullow Oil Plc announced in a press release oil discoveries at the Amosing-1 and Ewoi-1 exploration wells in Block 10BB onshore northern Kenya. As a result of these latest successes and recently reported discoveries at Ekales-1 and Agete-1, Tullow has updated its estimate of discovered resources in this basin to more than 600 MMbbl of oil. Tullow said it believes that the overall potential for the basin, which will be fully assessed over the next two years through a program of exploration and appraisal wells, is in excess of 1 Bbbl of oil.

Based on results of drilling, wireline logs, and samples of reservoir fluid, the Amosing-1 well has intersected net oil pay of between 160 m and 200 m (525 ft and 656 ft), exceeding Tullow’s predrill expectations, the company said. The Ewoi-1 well has encountered net pay of 20 m to 80 m (66 ft to 262 ft) and has continued to derisk the basin flank play opened up by the Etuko-1 well in 2013.

Following completion of logging operations, the wells will be suspended for future flow testing to confirm the net pay counts. The rigs will then move to drill the Emong-1 well, adjacent to the Ngamia field, and the Twiga South-2 appraisal well, both in Block 13T. The partnership has elected not to continue into the next exploration phase in Block 10A in Kenya, according to the release.

Given the significant volumes discovered and the extensive exploration and appraisal program planned to fully assess the upside potential of the basin, Tullow and its partners have agreed with the government of Kenya to commence development studies. In addition, the partnership is involved in a comprehensive pre-FEED study of the export pipeline, according to the release. The current ambition of the government of Kenya and the joint venture partnership is to reach project sanction for development, including an export pipeline, in the period 2015 to 2016.

Tullow operates both the Amosing-1 and Ewoi-1 wells with a 50% interest, and Africa Oil has a 50% nonoperated interest.