Japex to expand operations in Libya

Japex plans to expand its operations in Libya by launching test drilling on Blocks 176-4 and 40-3/4 and by training more Libyan engineers in Japan.

Oct. 1, 2007

Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1 -- Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (Japex) plans to expand its operations in Libya by launching test drilling on Blocks 176-4 and 40-3/4 and by training more Libyan engineers in Japan.

Test drilling on Block 176-4 will start in May 2008 following recent seismic surveys that encouraged Japex to believe that a commercial production prospect was viable. Japex will begin drilling on Block 40-3/4 later in the 2008 fiscal year.

Japex also has invited Libya's National Oil Corp. to send more engineers to the firm's machinery maintenance factory in Niigata Prefecture for welding training starting next month through March 2008. Earlier this year, Japex invited six NOC employees for exploration technology training in Japan.

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].