South Omo Perchance Lucky: Oil
Exploration Encouraged by Hydrocarbon Indication
By Zenebe G. Tamirat
The first drilling
at what is known the Sabisa-1 well in the South Omo block has been completed at
a depth of 1,810. The result was not good enough but not discouraging since hydrocarbon indications has been recorded in
sands beneath a thick clay stone top seal. Sabisa-1 Well encounters instability
issues that required the drilling of side track to comprehensively log and
sample the zones according to Tullow’s announcement.
“The Sabisa-1 well
has proved to be technically challenging as is often the case in frontier
basins, and the well now requires a side track to re-drill. Nevertheless, we are
encouraged by the hydrocarbon which provide emerging evidence for a working petroleum
in the previously undrilled South Omo Basin.” Says Angus McCoss, Exploration
Director of Tullow Oil Plc. Tullow is a British Oil Exploring Company holding a
50% interest in the venture with the Canadian counterpart Africa Oil 30% and
the U.S. Marathon Oil 20%.
According to the
Ethiopian Reporter (09/07/20013), Tullow has shifted its crew to the second
well 4 miles away from Sabisa-1, to start a second drilling. At the nearby
Kenya region of Ngamia Tullow has explored what the director referred to as the
first commercial flow from the lower Lockhone reservoir. It is recalled that Tullow
has discovered oil in Lake Albert basin in Uganda which has similar geological
aspects with regions around Lake Turkana rift basin.
The Turkana Rift
Basin earlier known as Lake Rudolf Rift Basin has geological similarity with the
Ethiopian regions that border Kenya. Lake Turkana starts in Ethiopia and
extends south to the regions of Kenya. The explored area for gas and oil in
Kenya are solely 300 miles from the first well Sabisa-1 in Ethiopia.
South Omo is one
of the most forgotten regions of Ethiopia as far economic development is
concerned. It is perhaps the only region in the world that human beings are
living naked. Thousands of Foreigners including multimillionaires visit the
region attracted by the living condition of the various ethnic groups in the
region particularly the Mursis who wear clay in their lips and also as earnings.
Some of this tourists seem mad on Ethiopia because they are afraid development may
change the style of life in the region. In other words they want the natives to
live naked all their lives and forever. Some scholars also consider Ethiopia’s
attempt to discover oil in the region as scramble for wealth belonging to the
natives that they (Ethiopians) forgot for centuries.
The South Omo
region is the most peaceful regions of Ethiopia with the people being proud of
their Ethiopian nationality. This has been demonstrated with the natives’ continuous
fight to return back the regions South of Lake Turkana, in Kenya that they
claim to belong to their ancestors.
The Writer
Zenebe Tamirat is available at ztamira@yahoo.com
Follow @Neguodguadzeneb
By Zenebe G. Tamirat
The first drilling
at what is known the Sabisa-1 well in the South Omo block has been completed at
a depth of 1,810. The result was not good enough but not discouraging since hydrocarbon indications has been recorded in
sands beneath a thick clay stone top seal. Sabisa-1 Well encounters instability
issues that required the drilling of side track to comprehensively log and
sample the zones according to Tullow’s announcement.
“The Sabisa-1 well
has proved to be technically challenging as is often the case in frontier
basins, and the well now requires a side track to re-drill. Nevertheless, we are
encouraged by the hydrocarbon which provide emerging evidence for a working petroleum
in the previously undrilled South Omo Basin.” Says Angus McCoss, Exploration
Director of Tullow Oil Plc. Tullow is a British Oil Exploring Company holding a
50% interest in the venture with the Canadian counterpart Africa Oil 30% and
the U.S. Marathon Oil 20%.
According to the
Ethiopian Reporter (09/07/20013), Tullow has shifted its crew to the second
well 4 miles away from Sabisa-1, to start a second drilling. At the nearby
Kenya region of Ngamia Tullow has explored what the director referred to as the
first commercial flow from the lower Lockhone reservoir. It is recalled that Tullow
has discovered oil in Lake Albert basin in Uganda which has similar geological
aspects with regions around Lake Turkana rift basin.
The Turkana Rift
Basin earlier known as Lake Rudolf Rift Basin has geological similarity with the
Ethiopian regions that border Kenya. Lake Turkana starts in Ethiopia and
extends south to the regions of Kenya. The explored area for gas and oil in
Kenya are solely 300 miles from the first well Sabisa-1 in Ethiopia.
South Omo is one
of the most forgotten regions of Ethiopia as far economic development is
concerned. It is perhaps the only region in the world that human beings are
living naked. Thousands of Foreigners including multimillionaires visit the
region attracted by the living condition of the various ethnic groups in the
region particularly the Mursis who wear clay in their lips and also as earnings.
Some of this tourists seem mad on Ethiopia because they are afraid development may
change the style of life in the region. In other words they want the natives to
live naked all their lives and forever. Some scholars also consider Ethiopia’s
attempt to discover oil in the region as scramble for wealth belonging to the
natives that they (Ethiopians) forgot for centuries.
The South Omo
region is the most peaceful regions of Ethiopia with the people being proud of
their Ethiopian nationality. This has been demonstrated with the natives’ continuous
fight to return back the regions South of Lake Turkana, in Kenya that they
claim to belong to their ancestors.
The Writer
Zenebe Tamirat is available at ztamira@yahoo.com
Follow @Neguodguadzeneb
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