Kenya Block 10A

 

 

Block 10A is located in the northern region of the Anza Basin in northern Kenya. The block covers a total of 14,747km² (3.6 million acres) and is north-west from the adjacent Block 9 where the operator, CNOOC, is expected to commence drilling in 4Q 2009. The operator is Africa Oil (55%); its partners are Black Marlin (20%) and Raytec Metals (now Lion Petroleum), with 25%. Black Marlin's net area under licence is 2,950km² (0.7 million acres).

In March of 1985, Amoco signed the Block 10 PSC which covered approximately 84,500km² of north-western Kenya and encompassed the northern region of the Anza Basin. In 1990, Amoco relinquished 50% of the block and the remaining portion was divided into three separate blocks: Block A, Block B and Block C. Later that year, Shell farmed in for a 50% interest and became operator of all three blocks. Three exploration wells were drilled by Amoco in Block 10A (Sirius-1, Bellatrix-1 and Chalbi-3) but abandoned throughout 1988 and 1989. The Sirius-1 well gave indications of migratory hydrocarbons in the Upper Cretaceous but in 1993-94 both Amoco and Shell relinquished the blocks. No exploration was conducted on Block 10A until Lundin (later Africa Oil) was awarded the PSC in October of 2007.

Block 10A is located in the northern part of the Anza graben which in turn is part of Central-African Mesozoic rift system that also includes the Muglad graben in Sudan, and the Lamu graben in Kenya. The southern part of the Block 10A is interpreted to have the best exploration potential. This is supported by the presence of oil and gas shows and the high maturity level of organic rocks in wells Bellatrix-1 and Sirius-1. The latter well establishes the presence of an Upper Cretaceous lacustrine source rock that may have generated low-sulphur/paraffinic oil.