Zarara Oil and Gas has said that it plans to drill the Block L4 in Kenya by Q2 of 2016.

The company plans to drill the well through a study of the seismic data which aroused from a 383 km, 2D survey over the Pate Prospect which pointed out extra nine leads on Blocks L4 & L13.

According to Zarara, with the granting of the 18-month licence extension by the Ministry of Energy on its Block L4 & L13 in November, it will conclude the drilling of Pate-2 well situated on the Pate-1 natural gas discovery which attained a total depth (TD) of 4188m in 1971. The extensions will also allow Zarara obtain further seismic data in a different place on the licences. The aim of the seismic is to assess a potential number of leads pointed out by a comprehensive aeromagnetic survey over Blocks L4 & L13, completed in 2013.

However, Midway Resources International (MRI) who is the sole owner of Zarara added that its aim is to complete the Pate-2 as a commercial well which will go through extended well testing in order to supply temporary electric power generating units, Oil News Kenya reports.

MRI owns a 75% working interest and operatorship in two production sharing contracts over Blocks L4 and L13 through its subsidiary, Zarara Oil & Gas Limited alongside Swiss Oil Holdings Ltd with 15% while the remaining 10% is a carried interest of the Government of Kenya.

Anita Fatunji