Partners spud Golitza-1 well in Bulgaria

April 16, 2007
JKX Oil & Gas unit JKX Bulgaria has spudded the Golitza-1 exploration well targeting Jurassic sands, Triassic limestones, and Triassic sands on the B-Golitza exploration permit in Bulgaria.

Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Apr. 16 -- JKX Bulgaria Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of JKX Oil & Gas PLC, has spudded the Golitza-1 exploration well targeting Jurassic sands, Triassic limestones, and Triassic sands on the B-Golitza exploration permit in Bulgaria, said Aurelian Oil & Gas PLC. Aurelian's wholly owned subsidiary Balkan Explorers Bulgaria Ltd. is 50% partner on the permit.

The onshore well aims to reach 4,900 m TD and will hit a large tilted fault block through near vertical drilling during the next 120 days, Aurelian said. Romanian driller Dafora SA will use a 2,000-hp rig to drill Golitza-1.

B-Golitza is on the southern edge of the Moesian platform where the Miocene Balkan Thrust Front strikes east-west across Bulgaria. A number of wells have been drilled in the area, but none has penetrated the target formations in a comparable structural setting, according to Aurelian.

Aurelian said nothing has been tested to date along the trend that Golitza-1 will target. "We are therefore not underestimating the risk of the play," it said. "However, all the required elements for a discovery are interpreted to be present."

Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected]