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submersible pump. The ? eld is Malta expected to produce 2500b/d Last December, the government of when it comes onstream later this Malta awarded three offshore blocks summer. totaling 6400 sq km to Capricorn

Malta, a subsidiary of Edinburgh-

Italy based Cairn Energy. Cairn CEO

Italy’s government lifted its offshore Simon Thomson is looking to

Mediterranean exploration and production balance the company’s portfolio moratorium after ratifying of frontier exploration assets.

Legislative Decree 83/2012 last Capricorn Malta will conduct a

August, opening its formerly closed study, acquire additional data, and territory within 12 nautical miles assess the exploration potential of of the coast to renewed activity. the acreage under an exploration

The decree also raises prior royalty study agreement.

rates by 3%, increasing them to The offshore areas granted are 7% for oil and 10% for natural gas blocks 1, 2, and 3 of Area 3, located production. The increase will fund north of Malta. The term of the marine environmental protection exploration study agreement is two and safety for offshore operations. years and requires Capricorn to Ireland-based Petroceltic invest at least US$2.5 million on

International was affected by the exploration operations. The work drilling ban as operator of the program consists mainly of the

B.R.268.RG permit (126.68 sq km, reprocessing of existing 2D seismic 31,302 acre) in the Adriatic Sea. Its data, the acquisition and processing

Elsa discovery on the shallow-water of a minimum of 1500km of new, block is estimated to hold 100mmbo 2D seismic data and technical and 31.5bcf of gas. studies. Calgary-based Cygam Energy had MOG was granted a one-year two exploration projects that were extension (to January 2014) for affected by the decree, BR268RG Offshore Area 4 by the government permit (30% partner in Elsa) and of Malta. An evaluation of the

CR148VG permit (336.98 sq km), block identi? ed four prospective off Sicily, the company’s Aretusa structures: Hagar Qim, Tarxien, prospect. The Sicilian license Skorba, and Dalam at the Eocene/ expired during the moratorium, but Palaeocene level. The Hagar Quim its term was extended to November. structure has mean unrisked Mediterranean Oil & Gas reserves of 109mmbo in the El (MOG) will now be able to seek Garcia formation, which MOG a production concession for its plans to test in 4Q 2013 by drilling

Ombrina Mare ? eld in BR269GC the Hagar Qim 1 well. AGR permit. The Adriatic Sea ? eld is Well Management will provide estimated to hold 40mmbo and engineering and rig procurement 6.5bcf of gas. support. This year, activity should begin to recover in northern Africa as

ENSCO new governments stabilize. New opportunities in the Adriatic will be stimulated by Italy’s return to normal offshore operations, as well as by the new pipelines being built from the east. Most signi? cantly, the Levant

Basin will see growing investment as companies work to develop the world-class discoveries found in

Noble Energy continues its drilling recent years. program in the Levant Basin using the semisubmersible. Victor SchmidtENSCO 5006

OE | March 2013 oedigital.com 68 oe_Mediterranean_rev3.indd 68 27/02/2013 12:10