An oil drilling block managed by British company Tullow Oil at Lokichar
basin in Turkana County. The UK petroleum explorer is targeting to drill
300 more oil production wells. AFP PHOTO | TONY KARUMBA
UK petroleum explorer Tullow has revealed plans to drill 300 oil
wells in Turkana, sending another strong signal of Kenya’s progression
to an oil producing country.
Tullow Oil on Wednesday invited bids for the tender to drill the wells in the initial phase of production of the commodity.
The
firm, which is the operator of a number of blocks in Turkana’s South
Lokichar basin, wants to prequalify the companies ahead of awarding
drilling tenders in the commercial development phase of production.
Tullow has already commenced the evacuation of early crude oil from Turkana to Mombasa awaiting early exploratory exports.
Some
2,000 barrels are being stored per day in the premises of the Kenya
Petroleum Refinery at the Coast, with a target of attaining 400,000
barrels — enough to fill an oil tanker.
The government has indicated that it could even ship out the early oil once it hits the 200,000 barrels mark.
“Tullow Kenya B.V. is currently planning the foundation phase of
the Kenya development, which comprises drilling and completion of
approximately 300 wells,” the firm said in a public notice whose details
were published on its website.
“To support the Kenya
development, we are seeking expressions of interest from suitably
qualified and reputable drilling and completion services companies who
wish to be prequalified to participate in the planned competitive
tendering exercise for the various services that will be required,” the
company said.
The tender will be for the foundation or initial production programme beginning 2020 and ending in 2025.
“Based on the current foundation phase schedule, the campaign (of 300 wells) will be from 2020 to 2025,” the notice said.
Onshore experience
For
a company to be prequalified, it must demonstrate its onshore
experience in providing similar services in remote locations preferably
in Africa and show sufficient capacity in terms of equipment and
personnel to support a 300-well drilling campaign.
“[Applicants
must show a] listing of previous projects, current projects, clients
and client key contacts who may be contacted; financial capability to
support 300 well campaign, providing audited financial statements for
the last three years; have comprehensive health, safety and
Environmental management system in place,” the notice said.
Potential suppliers of the services are supposed to send their applications by next Wednesday, July 4.
The
targeted wells for the drilling in the first phase are spread across
Ngamia, Amosing and Twiga fields. The fields to the north of this are
set for production in the future phases, Tullow Oil said.
During
the presentation of the 2018/19 Budget Statement in Parliament mid this
month, Treasury secretary Henry Rotich said work was “on-going for,
[among others] the development of the upstream facilities which include
drilling of over 200 production wells and the installation of the
necessary oil drilling facilities to allow the flow of 60,000 – 80,000
barrels of oil per day.”
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