Tullow in the red for third year on further exploration write-offs

(Corrects to show the loss was bigger than analysts had estimated)

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Africa-focused Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW.L - news) reported a loss for a third consecutive year in 2016 after it was forced to write off further exploration costs, the company said on Wednesday.

The oil and gas producer reported a full-year operating loss of $754.7 million, down from a loss of $1.09 billion in 2015 but bigger than analyst estimates for a $639.4 million loss, mainly due to gross exploration write offs of $723 million.

Sales revenue fell around 20 percent to $1.27 billion despite its TEN oilfields offshore Ghana coming on stream, as weak oil prices ate into the value of its sales.

(Reporting by Karolin Schaps, editing by Louise Heavens)