Pancontinental Oil & Gas to Start New 3D Survey offshore Kenya

Australia’s Pancontinental Oil & Gas plans to carry out a new 3D survey in its Kenyan licence areas L10A & L10B. This comes after the 2D and 3D seismic surveys completed in early 2012.

The new 3D survey will cover a cluster of large Miocene reefs and the large Crombec Lead. The potential rock formation of Miocene reefs is in water depths of approximately 500m and within 50km of the major Kenyan port of Mombasa. “Miocene reefs like the ones in this area are known globally to have very high per-well oil and gas production potential,” the company statement said.

The survey activities are expected to begin in November.

The Joint Venture is considering the commencement of drilling operations on L10A and L10B in 2013. Final drilling decisions will be made as work proceeds on the existing 3D and 2D data and the new planned 3D seismic survey.  The Joint Venture is pursuing both oil and gas opportunities in the L10 blocks.

The gas found in the Mbawa-1 well was declared to be below commercial quantities in isolation,  before the operator Apache decided to stop drilling and plug the well, but continue with the analysis of the data gathered from the drilling activities. The Joint Venture is of Apache Corporation, Pancontinental and Tullow Oil are now pursuing both oil and gas opportunities.