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East Africa

Kenya forges

Recent offshore drilling by Apache and Anadarko help gauge the potential of the Lamu basin.

ahead basin, over Blocks L5, L6, L7, L8, L9, L10, L11,

By Nina Rach ision 2030 is Kenya’s development strategy which and L12. aims to transform the economy and “create a glob- In 2006, Woodside drilled the frst deepwater ally competitive and prosperous nation with a high well off Kenya, the Pomboo-1, on Block L-5, in

V quality of life by 2030.” The government is committed to water 2193m (7195ft) deep.

continued institutional reforms in the energy sector, and NOCK acquired offshore Block 14T in Magadi stresses public-private partnership. in November 2010, and in 2012, signed an agreement with

Japan national oil company, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals

National Corp. (JOGMEC) for joint exploration. Full-tensor

NOCK

The National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) was incorpo- gravity gradiometry (FTG), 2D seismic, magneto telluric, and rated in 1981, and began to oversee exploration activities del- time-domain electromagnetic studies began in June 2012.

egated from the Ministry of Energy, in 1984. The Petroleum (Exploration & Production) Act, Cap 308, (1986) provides

Recent offshore wells legal framework and regulates the negotiation of production- In 3Q 2012, Apache Corp. drilled its Mbawa South well in sharing contracts with potential investors. PSCs are also Block 8, in water 864m deep. The well encountered 53m net governed by the Environmental Management & Coordination gas pay, making it the frst hydrocarbon discovery offshore

Act (2000; NEMA). Kenya. Apache operates the block with 50% interest.

In 2010, NOCK launched a program to digitize all of Anadarko has working interests in fve blocks off Kenya:

Kenya’s oil and gas exploration data. In February 2013, CEO L5, L7, L12, L11A, and L11B. It began work offshore in

Sumayya Hassan-Athmani announced in the company’s December 2012 with Transocean’s Deepwater Millenium “Energized Bulletin” that the project was complete, data drillship. In April 2013, the company announced that it had would soon be uploaded, and available to the public online. completed the Kubwa well in the L-07 Block, which it oper- ates (50% WI) on behalf of partners Total E&P Kenya B.V. (40%) and PTT Exploration & Production Plc (10%). The

Exploration history

The frst wells drilled in Kenya were onshore, in the Lamu well had non-commercial oil shows. embayment, beginning in 1960. “We are very encouraged with our frst test of Kenya’s

The earliest offshore exploration activities were 2D seis- previously unexplored deepwater basin, in which mud- mic data acquisition programs, beginning in 1970. The frst log and well-site evaluation of core data indicates the three offshore wells were drilled in the Lamu basin. Total presence of a working petroleum system with reservoir- drilled the Simba-1 well (Block quality sands,” said Anadarko

L-9) in 1978, to 3604m (11,824ft) Sr. Vice President, Worldwide

Early 2D seismic acquired offshore Lamu basin

TD. In 1982, Cities Services Exploration Bob Daniels. “The

Operator Years Km acquired, 2D drilled the Maridadi-1B well in Kubwa well tested multiple play

BP, Shell 1970 1080

Block L-6, to 4,198m TD. In 1985, concepts and provided useful

Shell 1972-1973 2103

Union drilled the Kofa well in data regarding the prospectivity

Total 1973 3652

Block L-7, to 3,629m TD. of our six-million-acre position

After an in-house study in offshore Kenya. The rig will

Oceanic 1975 451 1991, NOC Kenya subdivided the now mobilize south to drill the

Wainoco & Anchutz 1975 350

Lamu embayment (both onshore Kiboko well.”

Sun Oil 1975 1099 and offshore) into 10 exploration Anadarko is drilling the Kiboko

GSI (African Marine) 1975 690 blocks, created 2 more blocks in prospect on Block L-11B. 2001, and several more in the Anadarko said the Kiboko well is

Seagap 1976 820 last decade. Kenya signed seven testing both Upper and Lower

Cities Services1980 1251 production-sharing agreements Cretaceous sands, just above the

Lamont Doherty1980 2400 (PSC) in 2000-2002. thick Jurassic carbonate section.

Woodside Petroleum 2003 7881

In August-October 2003, So we’re just getting started in

PGS/NOCK 2008 3400

Woodside acquired 7884km of 2D Kenya, and we’re pretty excited seismic data in the offshore Lamu about what we see.”

Total 25,352

Data from National Oil Corporation of Kenya.

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