“We expect Tullow to begin work on block 10BB and block 10A in August this year before moving to undertake another drilling venture in Ethiopia,” Patrick Nyoike, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy, said.

“But in the event that they (Tullow) strike oil in the two wells, then we’d expect them to do more wells locally.”

Tullow Kenya BV, a subsidiary of Tullow Oil, said on Thursday it would embark on an intensive seismic and drilling campaign in northern Kenya during 2011/12.

Tullow Kenya BV is the operator of five exploration blocks in northern Kenya.

Kenya has yet to discover any commercial oil deposits, but interest in its exploration blocks has grown since neighboring Uganda discovered billions of barrels in its Lake Albert rift, where Tullow is expected to start oil production next year.

“We don’t want to speculate on our prospects of striking but will look at what players such as Tullow come up with in the course of their exploration ventures,” Nyoike said.

“We are only hoping for the best this time after the previous misses.”