London-based oil exploration firm Tullow announced Wednesday (July 31st) that Kenya's Etuko-1, the most recent well the firm has drilled, has shown signs of commercially viable oil production.

The new discovery makes Kenya a candidate for commercial oil development, as Tullow has identified two other commercially viable wells, Ngamia-1 and Twiga South-1.

Tullow has also increased its estimated yields from Ngamia-1 and Twiga South-1 from 3,000 to 5,000 barrels per day.

"Following the completion of the Etuko-1 well, the Kenya [petroleum] resources are expected to be in excess of 300 million barrels, exceeding the basin threshold for development," Tullow said in a statement.

"The excellent results to date onshore Kenya are an important step towards understanding the overall basin potential and its commerciality," it said. "Resources discovered to date are of a scale that the partnership will initiate discussions with the government of Kenya and other relevant stakeholders to consider development options."

Kenya's Energy and Petroleum Secretary Davis Chirchir commended Tullow's work in Kenya saying the firm is "doing a good job", according to Kenya's Daily Nation.