Gross Oil Column News

Drillsearch Energy Limited announced that a new oil discovery at the Balgowan-1 exploration well in PEL 91 on the Western Flank Oil Fairway of the Cooper Basin. Wireline logs carried out at Balgowan-1 have confirmed a 9-metre gross oil column in the McKinlay-Namur and as a result, the well has been cased and suspended as a future oil producer, the 14th discovery in PEL 91. Analysis of the well results is continuing and Drillsearch will provide an update on the size of the discovery in due course. Balgowan-1 is located 3.6 kilometres northeast of the Stunsail-1 oil discovery. Following casing and suspension of Balgowan-1, the rig will now move to drill Burners-1, which is located midway between Balgowan-1 and Stunsail-1.

Norwegian oil explorer Det norske made a small oil discovery in the Arctic Barents Sea with a gross oil column of about 30 metres and much poorer reservoir quality than expected, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said on Monday. Det norske earlier said it found some oil in the prospect but initial volumes did not justify development. Det norske operates the licence and holds a 20 percent stake. Other shareholders include Sweden's Lundin Petroleum (20 percent), Tullow (15 percent), Rocksource (5 percent), Norwegian state holding firm Petoro (30 percent) and Atlantic Petroleum (10 percent).