Kenya

Key statistics

Following Tullow’s exploration success to date in Uganda’s Lake Albert Rift Basin, the company has extended its exploration acreage into the prospective East African Rift Basins of Kenya and Ethiopia.

In 2010, Tullow signed agreements with Africa Oil and Centric Energy to gain a 50% operated interest in five Kenyan licences; Blocks 10BA, 10BB, 10A, 12A and 13T covering over 67,000 sq km (six times the size of the licences in Uganda). In addition, Tullow gained a 50% operated interest in the South Omo Block in Ethiopia. The combined acreage covers the Turkana Rift Basin which is similar in character to the Lake Albert Rift Basin and also a south-east extension of the geologically older Sudan rift basins trend. On 23 July 2012, Tullow completed the acquisition of an additional 15% interest in Block 12A from Africa Oil, taking the interest in that block to 65%. 

In 2011, Tullow completed a farm-in to Block L8, offshore Kenya, and holds a 15% equity position with a 5% additional equity option. More recently, Tullow farmed in to Block 12B in Kenya in February 2012.

The first onshore well in the basin, Ngamia-1, in Block 10BB, commenced drilling in January 2012 and discovered over 100m of net oil pay opening up this entire rift basin as a potential major oil province. This was followed soon after by the successful Twiga South-1 well.

Licence list

• Download our Group licence list PDF (300KB).