Sirocco Energy Ltd., Perth, formerly Agri Energy Ltd., is attempting to raise funds for its share of the cost to explore the remote 100,000 sq km Block 14 in northwestern Sudan.

Niko Resources Ltd., Calgary, has spudded the Ajek-1 exploratory well in the Kofiau block in the Salawati area of West Papua, Indonesia. Drilling time is 40-45 days to 5,900 ft.

Ophir Energy PLC has taken a farmout on the Offshore Accra Contract Area offshore Ghana and will operate the Starfish-1 deepwater exploratory well recommended for drilling in 2013.

GeoPark Holdings Ltd. will drill two to three more wells in 2013 in Konawentru oil field on its 100% owned Fell block in the Magallanes basin in southern Chile.

Sterling Resources Ltd., Calgary, has spudded the fourth well at Breagh field in the UK North Sea after test results from the first three wells fell within the range of expected outcomes from the reservoir simulation model.

East West Petroleum Ltd. and TAG Oil Ltd. have formed a joint venture to drill four wells on three petroleum exploration permits in New Zealand’s Taranaki basin.

Maersk Oil Norway AS has spudded an exploratory well on the Albert prospect in PL 513 in the Haltenbanken area of the Norwegian Sea offshore Norway.

Telesis Operating Co. Inc., Fort Worth, has extended Upper Pennsylvanian McKavitt (Canyon) sandstone oil production in Camar field in Schleicher County, Tex., with completion of the Thornburg 27-6 well.

A unit of Sea Dragon Energy Inc., Calgary, has acquired National Petroleum Co. Shukheir Marine Ltd. from National Petroleum Co. Egypt Ltd. for $250,000 cash and assumption of a $3 million working capital deficiency.

InterOil Corp., Houston, said its Antelope-3 well in Papua New Guinea drillstem tested in the upper limestone reservoir at the maximum rate of 44.8 MMcfd of gas with 2,331 psi flowing tubing pressure and that gas composition is similar to that at its Antelope-1 and 2 wells.

Lundin Petroleum AB, operator of PL501 on the Johan Sverdrup discovery in the North Sea offshore Norway, said the 16/2-16 appraisal well met its initial objectives and will now be sidetracked westward.

Sonde Resources Corp., Calgary, reached agreement with the Joint Oil authority on terms for Sonde to enter the second phase of the exploration period on the Joint Oil block in the Gulf of Gabes offshore Libya and Tunisia.

Australian explorers have reported progress on shale and source rock exploratory projects in the Georgina and Gippsland basins.

Petromanas Energy Inc., Calgary, said it has drilled the Shpirag-2 well in Albania’s Berati thrust belt to 4,230 m in the flysch shale and expects to encounter the target carbonate at about 5,000 m.