Page 59: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jul/Aug 2014)

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East Africa

Kenya offshore interests

In July 2012, PTT E&P Thailand agreed

Blocks with planned drilling are shaded to a $1.93billion acquisition of Cove

Energy, which had interests in several

Ofshore blocks offshore Kenya.

Block Acreage Ownership Status

Marathon and Union drilled In 2012, Fugro-Geoteam AS completed

Zarara Oil & Gas Ltd. 75%,

L4 7510sq km Predominantly onshore block the offshore Maridadi-1 well the Kifaru 3D seismic survey including

SOHI Gas 25% to 4198m TD with gas shows 778sq km over Block L6 for FAR Ltd. and

Anadarko 50%

L5 8735sq km Territory partially claimed by Somalia

Total 40%, PTTEP 10% in the Tertiary, and in 1985, Pancontinental. Fugro’s Geo Caribbean drilled the offshore Kofa-1 seismic vessel stopped in Cape Town in 5010sq km FAR Ltd. 60% Undrilled, shallow water coastal

L6 (3134sq km Pancontinental 40% (ofshore block. Ophir farmout to Milio well to 3629m TD, with oil May 2012.

ofshore) shares) International.

and gas shows.

Anadarko 50%

Discoveries

A Lamu basin study 1991-

L7 6944sq km Kubwa well, May 2013 – oil shows

Total 40%, PTTEP 10% 1995 led Kenya to subdivide Working oil and gas systems were only

Apache 50% the Lamu embayment (both recently proven offshore Kenya, begin-

Origin Energy 20% onshore and offshore) into 10 ning with the Mbawa-1 well on the

L8 5123sq km Mbawa-1 gas discovery, Sept. 2012

Pancontinental 15% exploration blocks and then western side of Block L8. The well

Tullow Oil 15% add two more after 2001. reached 2553m in September 2012 and

Ophir Energy 90% Simba-1 well drilled 1978.

Between 2000-2002, encountered 51.8m net gas pay in porous

L9 5100sq km FAR Ltd. 10% (will increase to Will drill a DW well in H1 2015. WD to seven production sharing Cretaceous sandstones. It was then 30% subject to gov’t approval) 1400m.

agreements were signed for drilled further to 3275m TD. Apache

BG Group 50%

Sunbird-1 oil, gas discovery, March

L10A 4962sq km PTTEP 31.25% offshore Lamu basin blocks Corp. operates the license (50%) on 2014, 723m WD.

Pancontinental 18.75%

L5, L6, L7, L8, L9, L10, and behalf of partners Origin Energy (20%),

BG Group 45%

L11. In 2003, Australia’s Pancontinental (15%), and Tullow (15%).

L10B 5585sq km Pancontinental 20%

Woodside Petroleum Apache’s Exploration Director Angus

PTTEP 15% acquired 7884 km of 2D seis- McCoss said at the time: “A gas discovery

Anadarko 50% mic data covering the seven on prognosis in the shallowest objective

L11A 5009sq km

Total 40%, PTTEP 10% licensed blocks as well as at Mbawa-1 is an encouraging start to our

Anadarko 50%

Block L12. Woodside then East African transform margin explora-

L11B 4963sq km Kiboko well P&A Sept. 2013

Total 40%, PTTEP 10% drilled the deepest offshore tion campaign.” However, the fnd was

Anadarko 50%

L12 well in 2006. not commercial, although Apache said

Total 40%, PTTEP 10%

Anadarko acquired 5000 it would keep the option to re-enter the

Zarara Oil & Gas Ltd. 75%,

L13 3000sq km Territory claimed by Somalia line-km of 2D seismic data over offshore well open.

SOHI Gas 25% blocks L5, L7, L12, L11A and L11B, fol- In April 2013, Anadarko announced

Kofa-1 well drilled in 1985.

L15 2331sq km lowed by 3D seismic. that its Kubwa well in Block L7 was not

Relinquished by Ophir Energy in 2013.

By December 2009, Origin Energy commercial.

Camac Energy

L16 5027sq km acquired 900sq km of 3D seismic over The company’s Senior Vice President

Gov’t Kenya

Block L8, using M/V Seisquest to tow for worldwide exploration Bob Daniels

L17 1259sq km Afren/EAX eight streamers, 5100m long. said, “The Kubwa well tested multiple

L18 3583sq km Afren/EAX

Afren, through its subsidiary EAX, play concepts and provided useful data

L21 ENI Territory claimed by Somalia acquired 460km of shallow-water and regarding the prospectivity of our six-

L22 10,000+sq km Total Territory claimed by Somalia transition-zone 2D seismic over Blocks million-acre position offshore Kenya.”

L17 and L18, completed in October 2010. In October 2013, Apache relinquished

L23 ENI Territory claimed by Somalia

In 2011-2012, Ophir Energy acquired its 50% stake in the L8 block, saying

L24 ENI Territory claimed by Somalia

Dominion Petroleum for £118m that gas volumes were not commercially

L25 Territory claimed by Somalia (US$186million). viable.

OPEN (Edgo Energy, Qatar First

In November 2011, BG began acquiring Likewise, in December 2013, Britain’s

L26 Territory claimed by Somalia

Investment Bank) 3D seismic data in license areas L10A Premier Oil announced that it was with-

CAMAC Energy

L27 and L10B, followed by a 2D seismic sur- drawing from Block L10A and relin-

Gov’t Kenya vey over the western area of the blocks quishing its 20% stake in the license.

CAMAC Energy

L28 (the Sunbird area). However, Premier retained its 25% share

Gov’t Kenya

In January 2012, Afren (EAX) com- in neighboring Block L10B.

pleted acquisition of 1207km of 2D data Pancontinental announced a small water depth, Block L10A, and drilled appear more willing to drill commercial- in the deeper water portions of Blocks gas discovery in Block L8 in December. to 2850m, penetrating the top of the sized oil prospects now that source

L17 and L18. In December 2012, it com- Pancontinental’s fnance director Ernest Sunbird Miocene reef at 1583.7m subsea. rocks and oil-generation timing has been pleted acquisition of 1006sq km of 3D Myers said, “The well on its own may It became Kenya’s frst offshore oil dis- proven.

data (in lieu of a well commitment), and not currently be commercially viable, but covery, confrmed in June 2014. Will Anadarko drill again off Kenya?

the 3D was processed by July 2013. could be when aggregated with other gas Perth-based Pancontinental Oil & Gas NL

What’s ahead

In June 2012, Total signed a PSC for discoveries which may occur in the L8 or said in a June 2014 presentation that it 100% of offshore license Block L22, with nearby blocks.” Several major international oil compa- would potentially re-enter Kenya offshore water depths of 2000m to 3500m. The On 6 January 2014, Pancontinental nies—BG Group, Tullow, Total, ENI, and Block L8 in the second half of this year. frst phase of exploration is 3D seismic and BG spud the Sunbird-1 well with Anadarko— have aggressively pursued The Kenyan government also granted the acquisition. the Deepsea Metro-I drillship in 723m prospects off Kenya, and operators company a 12-month extension for the oedigital.com July 2014 | OE 61 060_OE0714_geofocus_Kenya.indd 61 6/20/14 7:24 PM