ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (BERNAMA-NNN-ENA) -- Ethiopian Mines Minister
Sinknesh Ejjigu says petroleum exploration activities will be stepped up
across the country.
In an exclusive interview with the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) here
Wednesday, she said large international oil companies were engaged in
strengthened petroleum exploration activities across the nation.
Seven large international companies were exploring for oil in Ogaden,
Abay basin, Gambella and Omo basin areas, the minister said, adding that
one of them, Tullow Oil plc, had already recorded hydrocarbon
indications along the Omo basin.
The company has the technical capabilities and has carried out
successful activities in petroleum exploration in Ghana, Uganda and
Kenya, the minister noted.
Similarly, Southwest Petroleum company, Falcon Oil and Gas Ltd. as well
as Africa Oil New Age are undertaking preparations to drill wells in
Degehabur, Abay basin, Woreilu and Erkuran areas respectively.
Tullow said it had found hydrocarbon indications in South Omo Zone. The
company's Corporate Affairs Senior Adviser, Sisay Zerihun, told ENA
that a well named Sabisa-1 had been drilled to a total depth of 1,810
metres in South Omo Zone of South Ethiopia Peoples' State.
Sisay said hydrocarbon indications in sands beneath a thick claystone
top seal had been recorded whilst drilling but hole instability issues
required the drilling of a sidetrack to comprehensively log and sample
these zones of interest.
The sidetrack recently commenced and a result is expected in late May.
Tullow Oil Director Angus McCoss also said that the Sabisa-1 well had
proved to be technically challenging, as was often the case in frontier
basins, and the well now required a sidetrack to redrill, log and sample
the objective section.
"Nevertheless, we are encouraged by the hydrocarbon indications, which
provide emerging evidence for a working petroleum system in the
previously undrilled South Omo Basin," he said.
-- BERNAMA-NNN-ENA
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