Kenya

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 24 – Consultants completed environmental studies for the upcoming 2010 seismic program in blocks 3A and 3B totaling 25,000 sq km in northeastern Kenya, said Vanoil Energy Ltd., Vancouver, BC.

Geologically, the blocks fall mainly in the Anza basin (Block 3A) and Lamu embayment (Block 3B) and have basin fill sediment several kilometers thick. The eastern part of Block 3A is in the Mochesa basin, and a section of both blocks is underlain by near-surface, rarely exposed limestone rocks.

The limestones form karst topographical features such as sinkholes, towerkarst, and fluviokarst, as well as underground channels and caverns.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River and its tributaries and swamps and several laggas (seasonal or ephemeral streams) are prominent on the western side of the blocks. As roads may be impassable in the rainy season, the seismic program would be planned to coincide with the June-August dry season.

Meanwhile, operator China National Offshore Oil Corp. is drilling the Boghal-1 exploration well in Block 9 on behalf of its partners Africa Oil Corp., Lion Energy Corp., and Chinese Petroleum Corp., Taipei. The well is at 4,600 m and will test several formations on its way to the main target, the Jurassic carbonate reef reservoir at 5,600 m.