Statoil申請土耳其西北部區塊勘探許可

Statoil has entered a binding letter agreement for two exploration licenses in the Thrace region in the European northwestern part of Turkey, the company said in a news release.

Statoil will have a 50% interest in the Banarli licenses, while the operator Valeura Energy Inc., a Canadian exploration company, will keep the remaining 50%. The shallow formations above 2,500 meters will be 100% retained by Valeura, Statoil said.

The work program in the licenses consists of several phases. The first includes drilling one exploration well, with spudding planned for late 2016 or early 2017, according to the release. The exploration phase will test unconventional gas potential in the deep parts of the basin.

The exploration licenses cover an area of approximately 540 sq km in proximity to existing infrastructure in a region where gas has been produced since the 1920s.

The agreement is pending governmental approval, which is expected by the end of September 2016, the release said.