Tullow Oil says that the Gardim-1 exploration well, drilled on the eastern flank of the Chew Bahir Basin in the South Omo licence, onshore Ethiopia, has reached a total depth of 2,468 metres in basement, without encountering commercial oil.

The well intersected lacustrine and volcanic formations, similar to those found in the Shimela-1 well on the north-western flank of the basin. Minor intervals with thermogenic gas shows were intersected just above basement. The well will be plugged and abandoned and drilling operations will now be demobilised whilst these results are integrated into the regional basin model.

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