Exploration/Development news briefs, June 12

Petroleo Brasileiro SA hit natural gas with its 4-ESS-105 well in the Foz de Rio Doce Block off Brazil. Petrobras drilled the well to 3,018 m and found gas indications between 1,971-2,003 m. The company estimates the well could access 8 billion cu m of gas.

Lundin Albania Ltd., a unit of Swedish company Lundin Oil AB, will withdraw from Albanian Block 2, saying the Shpiragu-1 well being drilled will not meet its required economic threshold. Lundin maintains a 20% interest in one other block in Albania.

Canadian Superior Energy Inc., Calgary, and Geophysical Service Inc., Houston, have completed the acquisition of 1,100 km of seismic data over Canadian Superior's Marquis prospect off Nova Scotia and 700 km of data nearby. The survey cost $2.5 million.

Sharon Energy Ltd., Calgary, said it is participating in four wells, three in the US and one in Canada. It is participating in a well in its Graceland property in Colorado County, Tex.; one in Filmore prospect in Carbon County, Wyo.; one on Angel Fire prospect in Duval County, Tex.; and one at Jaslan in eastern Alberta.

Pakistan has awarded a petroleum exploration license to a joint venture headed by Orient Petroleum Inc. Karak Block 3370-5 is in the Kohat basin of North West Frontier Province. The venture plans to invest $2.6 million in a 3-year exploration program that will include geological and geophysical surveys and the drilling of a well. OPI owns 90% of the JV, Zaver Petroleum Corp. Ltd. owns 5%, and Pakistani Government Holdings owns 5% carried interest. OPI operates five other concessions in Pakistan and has committed to spend $86.4 million in them.

Brazil's National Petroleum Agency released a list of qualified companies for Brazilian licensing Round 3. They are: Alberta Energy Co. Ltd; Amerada Hess Corp.; BG International Ltd.; BHP Ltd.; BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd; Chevron Corp.; Companhia Brasileira de Petróleo Ipiranga; Statoil AS; Devon Energy Corp.; El Paso CGP Co.; Eni S.p.A; Enterprise Oil PLC; Esso Brasileira de Petróleo Ltda.; Indonesia Petroleum Ltd; Kerr-McGee Corp.; Koch Petróleo do Brasil Ltda; Maersk Olie og Gas AS; Marathon Oil Co.; Murphy Exploration & Production Co.; Newfield Exploration Co.; Ocean Energy Inc.; Odebrecht SA; PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd.; Partex Oil and Gas (Holdings) Corp.; Pecom Energia SA; Petróleo Brasileiro SA; Petróleos de Portugal SA; Petroserv SA; Phillips Petroleum Co.; Pluspetrol Resources Corp.; Queiroz Galvão Perfurações SA; Rainier Engineering Ltd.; Repsol YPF SA; Samson Investment Co.; Shell Brasil SA; SK Corp.; Sociedad Internacional Petrolera SA; Tecpetrol SA; Texaco Brasil SA Produtos de Petróleo; Total Fina Elf SA; Unocal Corp.; and Wintershall AG.

Enterprise Oil Norge Ltd. has successfully completed a Skarv appraisal well in Norway, 6.5 km from the discovery well. It is testing logs and samples.

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has opened nine offshore blocks covering about 3.95 million acres for bids on exploration licenses. The lands are in the coastal area from the Gulf of Maine to the Cabot Strait. Minimum bid is $1 million (Can.). Bids will be accepted until Nov. 1. Winners will be awarded a two-part exploration license. The term can be extended to 9 years if companies drill and complete a well in an initial period.