Genel Energy Calls Somaliland Oil ‘Highly Prospective’, Over 2 Billion Barrels

Somaliland is a highly prospective, onshore exploration province, and Genel is targeting resources of over two billion barrels of oil.

In August 2012, Genel was awarded an exploration licence for onshore blocks SL-10-B and SL-13 in Somaliland, with a 75% working interest in both. Genel extended its presence in November 2012 with the acquisition of 50% participating interest in the Odewayne Production Sharing Agreement which covers blocks SL-6, SL-7, SL-10A.

Onshore Somaliland is a relatively unexplored region, with few exploration wells drilled. The total size of the blocks is approximately equivalent to the entire Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Genel took the opportunity because of encouraging indications including onshore oil seeps and existing geological data showing favourable conditions for hydrocarbons to have accumulated in numerous large tilted fault blocks and sub-basins. In addition, the basins of Somaliland were contiguous to Yemen prior to the opening of the Gulf of Aden in the Oligocene-Miocene – similar sedimentary sequences and structural styles are expected in Somaliland.

We are targeting resources of over 1,000 mmbbls in blocks SL-10B and SL-13. The Odewayne block has a similar resource potential to this, targeting in order of 1,000 mmbbls.

Gravity and aeromag was acquired and interpreted over the entire 40,000 square km acreage, and the results of a surface seep study completed early in 2015 confirmed the outstanding potential offered by this huge acreage position.

The acquisition of seismic data commenced in March 2017. The data is being acquired as part of a Somaliland government owned speculative 2D seismic acquisition project, with the Company purchasing the associated data from the government in tranches.

The acquisition of data completed in January 2017 – the first time that seismic has been obtained in this highly prospective area for over 25 years. The project acquired c.3,150 km in total, including infill 2D seismic acquisition of targeted high-graded areas. Processing of the data has commenced, and will facilitate seismic interpretation and the associated development of a prospect inventory, in turn guiding the optimal strategy to maximise future value.