20th Oct 2006 07:00
Embargoed: 0700 hours 20 October 2006 Northern Petroleum plc ("Northern" or "the Company") Northern Petroleum begins drilling in the Netherlands and leads partnership to additional Carboniferous targets Northern Petroleum Plc is pleased to announce the first exploration well in TheNetherlands in partnership with the joint Shell and ExxonMobil subsidiaryNederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V., ("NAM").The rig is currently being moved to the Steenwijk site and drilling willcommence this month.The Steenwijk exploration well is located in an area designated the Steenwijkpart-area in the north-western part of the Schoonebeeck concession operated andheld 100% by NAM. Northern will earn a 50% commercial interest in the part-areaby the drilling of the Steenwijk-1 well.The farmin well is targeting a Rotliegendes structure. An additional prospectSteenwijk SW could be in communication in the event of a discovery.On reaching an agreed depth near the top of the Carboniferous the well willhave evaluated the primary Rotliegendes objective in the Permian and havefulfilled the farmin obligation to NAM.Northern recognizes and has mapped a deeper Carboniferous objective. In theevent of a discovery the well will be suspended for testing with this deepertarget being evaluated by future drilling, however, should this not occurNorthern's intention will be that the well be deepened approximately a further200 metres to evaluate a series of Carboniferous sandstones within anindependent Carboniferous closure.Derek Musgrove, Managing Director of Northern commented, "We are pleased tocommence our field operations in The Netherlands with the drilling of a goodsize gas target recognized both by ourselves and NAM. Our interest in deepeningthe well demonstrates our belief that this part of the Southern Gas Basin stillneeds to be explored below the Permian sediments and such activities will nowbenefit from modern capabilities of interpreting 3-D seismic."For further details please contact:Derek MusgroveNorthern Petroleum PlcTel. 020 7743 6080Chris Roberts/ Ben SimonsHansard GroupTel. 020 7245 1100Notes to editorsNorthern Petroleum is a junior oil and gas exploration and production company,focussed on the EU, with major assets in the Netherlands, Italy and the UK. Forfurther information please visit www.northpet.comENDNORTHERN PETROLEUM PLCRelated Shares:
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