The Epir-1 exploration well, while not a discovery, encountered oil and wet gas shows over a 100-m (328-ft) interval of non-reservoir quality rocks, demonstrating a working petroleum system in the North Kerio Basin. The Epir-1 exploration well is located in Block 10BB in the North Kerio Basin, a separate sub-basin from that tested by the Kodos-1 well, 25 km (15.5 miles) to the southwest. Further exploration activities will be considered in the North Kerio Basin following analysis and integration of the data collected from the well.

The Weatherford 804 rig drilled the Epir-1 well to a final depth of 3,057 m (10,030 ft). The well will be plugged and abandoned, following which the rig will move to the Ekales-2 location in the South Lokichar Basin where it will conduct appraisal of the discovery made by the Ekales-1 well. The well will target reservoirs in a separate fault block to the east of the discovery well, further away from the basin bounding fault.

In addition, the PR Marriott 46 rig recently completed drilling the Ngamia-5, Ngamia-6 and Amosing-3 appraisal wells. Both Ngamia wells were drilled from the Ngamia-1 discovery well pad. Ngamia-5 was drilled to a final depth of 2,317 m (7,602 ft) and was deviated about 500 m (1,640 ft) northeast of Ngamia-1, encountering between 160 m to 200 m (525 ft to 656 ft) of net oil pay. Ngamia-6 was drilled to a final depth of 2,480 m (8,136 ft) and was deviated about 800 m (2,625 ft) north of Ngamia-1, encountering up to 135 m (443 ft) of net oil pay. Both wells have been suspended and remain available for use in an extended well test program that will commence in second-quarter 2015.

The Amosing-3 well in Block 10BB continued the successful appraisal of the Amosing oil field. The well was drilled about 1 km (.62 miles) northwest of the Amosing-1 discovery well and successfully encountered more than 107 m (350 ft) of net oil pay in good quality reservoir sands. The well reached a final depth of 2,403 m (7,884 ft) and has been suspended for use in future appraisal and development activities. The PR Marriott 46 rig will now be moved to continue the appraisal of the Ngamia Field, drilling the Ngamia-7 well to test the field’s eastern flank.

In other news, acquisition of the large 951-sq-km (367-sq-mile) 3-D seismic survey has been completed over the series of significant oil discoveries in the western basin bounding fault play of the South Lokichar Basin. The fast-track processed data is already being used in the south of the basin while the remainder of the survey will be available for seismic interpretation by the end of first-quarter 2015. Initial evaluation of the 3-D seismic data indicates significantly improved structural and stratigraphic definition and additional prospectivity not evident on the previous 2-D seismic data. The partnership also has acquired more than 1,100 m (3,609 ft) of core samples from the South Lokichar Basin wells, and an extensive program of detailed core analysis is ongoing that will provide results from first-quarter 2015 onward to measure oil saturation and assess recovery factors of the reservoir sands.

Tullow operates blocks 10BB, 13T and 10BA with 50% equity and is partnered by Africa Oil Corp., also with 50%.