Africa Oil & Gas: Tullow Oil launches oil and gas exploration in Zambia

British company Tullow Oil on Friday started exploring for oil and gas in Zambia, Africa’s No.2 copper producer, as the country pushes to diversify its economy and reduce its reliance on the industrial metal, according to a Reuters report.

Copper mining earns Zambia more than 70 percent of its foreign exchange but the southern African state has been trying to move into other commodities to insulate itself from price shocks.

Zambia does not produce oil, but the government says soil samples sent to European laboratories have shown good traces of crude.

Tullow Executive Vice President Ian Cloke said in a speech during the launch in northern Zambia that exploration would take between two and 10 years, development three to 10 years and production 20-50 years.

‘We are exploring over a large area that includes Northern and Luapula provinces,’ Cloke said, referring to regions in the north of Zambia.

‘With Tullow’s exploration credentials, I can confidently say that if there is any oil to be found in this area of Zambia, Tullow will find it.’

Zambian President Edgar Lungu said at the ceremony that he was eager to receive the findings of the survey and would closely monitor the exploration work.

‘Our economy has been dependent on copper and vulnerable to shocks in global copper prices, which lie beyond our control,’ Lungu said.

Background

According to information on the Tullow web site –  In June 2016, Tullow announced that it had extended its East African acreage through the award of Production Exploration Licence 28, onshore Zambia.  Tullow is currently operator with 100% interest.

The 53,200 sq km block gives Tullow access to three unexplored tertiary rift basins and includes the Zambian parts of Lake Mweru, Lake Mweru Wantipa and Lake Tanganyika, This new acreage builds on Tullow’s low-cost, core Tertiary rift basin plays in East Africa.

Tullow initially plans to complete geological studies, acquire a gravity survey and collect passive seismic data. If the results are positive the Group will then acquire a 2D seismic survey in the block. Source: Reuters / enrgy-pedia