French oil major Total has signed a production sharing contract with the government of Kenya that would the oil major access to explore the 2,000-3,500 metre deep waters off Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group’s senior vice president for exploration and production in Africa, Jacques Marraud des Grottes, said that the deal is in line with the group’s strategy of building a strong presence in the new basins of East Africa offering high-potential plays for exploration.

According to other oil executives operating in the East African region,  recent oil and gas discoveries within the East African basin has primed the region as a potential gas exporters in the world.

Total has been in Kenya since 1955 when Total Kenya was established but only began oil exploration and production in 2011.