European unconventional gas attracts firms

Jan. 29, 2010
The Ukraine unit of EuroGas Inc., New York, acquired three unconventional gas concessions in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas basin and increased activities in the Lublin basin that extends from Poland into western Ukraine.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 29
-- The Ukraine unit of EuroGas Inc., New York, acquired three unconventional gas concessions in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas basin and increased activities in the Lublin basin that extends from Poland into western Ukraine.

The acquisition brings to five the number of shale gas and coalbed methane concessions held by EuroGas Ukraine Ltd. in eastern Ukraine under a joint activity agreement with Nadra Luganshchiny Ltd.

The five concessions total 512 sq km, and the largest, Marijewvskogo Poligon, covers 251 sq km. Horizontal drilling is to start this year.

Meanwhile, EuroGas GMBH signed a memorandum of understanding to explore for unconventional gas, such as shale and CBM gas, in the Lublin basin where it was the first foreign company to successfully drill a CBM well in the Ukrainian sector in the late 1990s.

Meanwhile, Realm Energy International Corp., Vancouver, BC, said it applied for oil and gas rights in eight undisclosed basins in seven unidentified European countries where it plans to exploit shale gas on more than 1.5 million acres.

Realm Energy, which is collaborating with Halliburton Consulting to apply North American shale gas technology in Europe, is evaluating other undeveloped shale plays and intends to make more applications in early 2010.