London-based exploration firm Tullow Oil announced on Wednesday (February 13th) that tests on Twiga South-1 well in northern Kenya have shown signs of commercially viable oil production, Kenya's The Standard reported.

Four flow tests carried out on the well in Turkana in January and early February indicate that it is capable of releasing 2,850 barrels of oil per day. A fifth test is ongoing.

"These tests provide the first potentially commercial flow rates achieved in Kenya and provide real encouragement for the Ngamia test," the firm said in a statement, referring to another oil exploration project in Turkana.

The firm plans to drill as many as 11 more exploration and appraisal wells in 2013 to understand the potential scale of discoveries in the South Lokichar Basin.