The move means NOCK has now acquired technical expertise and financial resources from the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC).
The agreement signed by National Oil Managing Director Sumayya Hassan-Athmani and JOGMEC President Hirobumi Kawano is for the evaluation of hydrocarbon potential of onshore Kenya by undertaking geophysical surveys.
The geophysical surveys will include Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG), 2D Seismic, Magneto Telluric and Time Domain Electromagnetic studies. The initial contract period is one and a half years pending the outcome of the surveys.
National Oil acquired Block 14T in November 2010 and has so far completed Gravity studies by attaining 2,507 points which was above target in the Southern part of the block.
The corporation has completed the Gas Seepage Geochemistry (Gore Sorber) field work on a grid of 2KM by 2KM and over 400 samples recovered. Analysis of the samples is ongoing at the Gore laboratories in Maryland, USA.
National Oil plans to acquire FTG on Block 14T from June 2012 and this latest development is a major boost to the corporation’s oil and gas exploration activities.
JOGMEC was established on February 29, 2004 pursuant to the Law Concerning the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, which was promulgated on July 26, 2002.
JOGMEC integrates the functions of the former Japan National Oil Corporation, which was in charge of securing a stable supply of oil and natural gas, and the former Metal Mining Agency of Japan, which was in charge of ensuring a stable supply of nonferrous metal and mineral resources and implementing mine pollution control measures.