British explorer Tullow Oil in a joint venture with Swala Energy have been given a go ahead by the government of Kenya to carry out a survey over the Lake Victoria basin block to optimise the location of the exploration well and thereby maximise its chances of success.
Following the extension on March 10th the partners have until 16th of August 2017 within which to drill the 12B exploration well.
“The delay to the 12B drilling will allow the Joint Venture to optimise their drilling location and to develop a better technical view of prospectivity that is currently partly obscured by the local shallow basalts,” says Swala Energy CEO Dr. David Mestres Ridge.
The technical review of the 12B basin that was completed in the third quarter of 2014 and revealed a number of leads and prospects, of which some were identified as a potential drilling target in 2016.
The survey is part of a continuation of studies carried out in 2012 in Block 12B that showed various counties including Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori and Kericho could have oil deposits.
The discovery of oil deposits in Lake Victoria basin could open up the area for development and raise the standard of living.