Despite several recent successes in East Africa, Tullow Oil PLC has announced that its most recent Ethiopian wildcat is a duster. The company reached a total depth of 6,893 ft on its Tultule-1 exploration well in the South Omo block onshore Ethiopia. Tullow reported that the well will now be plugged and abandoned as a dry hole.
The Tultule-1 was targeting oil-bearing sand drilled in its nearby Sabisa-1 well, but the formation was not encountered. The company did report however that gas shows were present. Results from both the Sabisa-1 and the Tultule-1 wells will now be analyzed to organize future exploration plans in the region.
Tullow serves as operator of the Tultule-1 well with a 50% interest along with partners Africa Oil Corp. (30%) and Marathon Oil Corp. (20%).
Tullow is now moving into Ethiopia’s Chew Bahir basin to drill the Shimela prospect, also in the South Omo block. According to the company, new seismic has delineated several additional prospects. It expects to spud its next well at the end of the first-quarter 2014.
Tullow last month reported a fifth oil discovery in northern Kenya due south of its South Omo block in Ethiopia (OGJ Online, Nov. 22, 2013). The Agete-1 well discovered an estimated 328 ft of net oil pay in sandstone reservoirs on Block 13T.
The company has announced additional exploration activity on neighboring Block 10BB. Its Amosing-1 well is drilling and the company expects to spud its Ewoi-1 by yearend. In addition, Tullow is preparing to flow test earlier discoveries made at Etuko-1 and Ekales-1, also in Block 10 BB just west of its Block 13T discovery. The company said it expects results from these two discoveries in the first-quarter 2014.
Contact Tayvis Dunnahoe at [email protected].
