Permits F.R39 and F.R40 – offshore southern Adriatic
In the Italian southern Adriatic, the Company has a 100 per cent. interest in two permits, F.R39.NP and F.R40.NP and in five contiguous permit applications. There are three existing oil discoveries within the permits area, Giove, Medusa and Rovesti. There are also a number of leads and prospects, the most exciting of which is the Cygnus prospect, which has 401 mmboe of prospective resource assigned to it. The Company is aiming to acquire 3D seismic over Cygnus and the 26 mmboe contingent resource Giove oil discovery. Based on the results of this seismic data, the Company will then aim to drill an exploration well on Cygnus and an appraisal well on Giove, which now only needs a flow test to surface before a development plan can be finalised.
Subsurface work conducted during 2016 identified that the Medusa deep exploration prospect is analogous to the Giove discovery. As a result, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Economic Development, the Company is proposing to combine the work programmes for permits F.R39 and F.R40. This will allow one well to move both permits into the second licencing period. The Company has drafted an appraisal well Environmental Impact Assessment for Giove to be submitted during 2018 to drill a well 12 to 18 months after submission, subject to financing and approvals being received. All offshore permits are currently held in suspension pending approvals for the next stage of the work programmes.
A farmout of 10 per cent. of the whole area has been agreed with High Power Petroleum, which is now subject to regulatory approval. High Power Petroleum also have an option to increase their ownership to 50 per cent. by funding the costs of an appraisal well on the Giove discovery, up to $15 million.
So Cabot Energy (who own the neighbouring Permits to GBP) have already agreed a farmout on its Offshore Southern Adriatic Permits, this is a very positive read across for GBP's Italian Permits.
GBP Price at posting:
2.5¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
