Tullow Oil plc has announced that the group and its joint venture partners have received extensions to their exploration licences for Blocks 10BB and 13T in Kenya to the end of 2021.

This follows the approval of the work programme and budget for next year by the Kenya’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

As announced at the group’s recent Capital Markets Day, the licence extensions will allow the joint venture partners to re-assess Project Oil Kenya and design an economic project at low oil prices whilst preserving the phased development concept, a statement issued by Tullow early this week said.

“In parallel, over the coming months, the joint venture partners will work closely with the government of Kenya on land and water agreements, gaining approval of the environmental and social impact assessments and finalising the commercial framework for the project.

“The successful completion of this work will enable the submission of field development plans to the government of Kenya,” Tullow said.

Commenting, Rahul Dhir, Chief Executive Officer of Tullow Oil Plc, said: “I would like to thank the Government of Kenya for granting this extension which the Joint Venture partners will use to fully re-assess the development concept for this important project.”

Tullow is a leading independent oil and gas, exploration and production group, quoted on the London, Irish and Ghanaian stock exchanges. It operates the TEN and Jubilee Field in Ghana.The group has interests in over 70 exploration and production licences across 14 countries in Africa and South America.