British oil explorer, Tullow Oil and Canadian oil firm, Africa Oil Corporation plan to submit development procedures to the Kenyan government by late next year for the exploration of oil in the country’s northwest region.

“We are expecting to submit our field development plans to the government in the fourth quarter of 2015,” Robin Sutherland, Tullow Oil’s Exploration Manager, sub-Saharan Africa stated during an oil and gas conference in the country’s capital.

Kenya’s need to speed up plans for development and production of the oil field arose after both oil firms discoveries doubled to 600 million barrels in South Lokichar basin.

This figure has met and exceeded the basic oil requirement needed for commercial development and is expected to continually increase.

“Commercial threshold resources have been exceeded in the South Lokichar Basin. We know we have exceeded the commercial threshold and that it is going to get higher and higher,” James Phillips, Africa Oil Corporation’s Business Development Vice President said.

With the project set for approval by 2015 or 2016, Tullow plans on conducting an intense and extensive drilling and testing appraisal this year and next.