Americas Petrogas Inc., Calgary, said it will spud the La Hoya x-1 exploratory well in early June 2012 with the Jurassic-Cretaceous Vaca Muerta shale as primary objective on the 293,600-acre Totoral block in the Picun Leufu subbasin of the Neuquen basin in Argentina.

Petrolympic Ltd., Toronto, plans to form a joint venture with Energex Petroleum Inc., Windsor, Ont.,  to acquire 50% indirect working interest in Energex’s Michigan pinnacle reef properties. Energex is working towards a public listing in Toronto.

Pemex Exploracion y Produccion has awarded a contract for the Ayatsil-B drilling platform to McDermott International Inc.

CNOOC Ltd. said it has tested the Luda 21-2 oil discovery in southern Liaodong Bay of Bohai Gulf at 608 b/d from the “thickest oil layers found in the exploration of Bohai clastic rocks in recent years.”

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, Rio de Janeiro, will sign a final contract in early June under which the Transocean Marianas semisubmersible will drill for the company offshore Namibia starting in late 2012.

SOCO International PLC plans to fly aerogravity and aeromagnetic surveys over part of Block V in eastern Congo (former Zaire) in June 2012.

The UK government received a record-high 224 applications for North Sea oil and gas drilling licenses in its 27th offshore licensing round.