SORGENIA (CIR GROUP): FIRST RESULTS IN SEARCH FOR SHALE GAS IN POLAND

The company, through the Polish incorporated joint venture Saponis Investment, is the second operator to start non-conventional exploration activity for natural gas in the country


Milan, February 21 2011 – Sorgenia (CIR group), through Sorgenia E&P S.p.A, the subsidiary active in hydrocarbon exploration and production, has started operations in the north of Poland to identify shale gas production capacity of the three exploration licenses obtained in recent months.

In the last days, the drilling of Wytowno 1 well was completed in the Slawno area to a depth of 3,580 metres. This well is the third drilled in Poland to determine shale gas potential, after the two drilled by Lane Energy Poland, the Polish company participated by the US major ConocoPhillips. The drilling of Wytowno 1  recorded the presence of encouraging  natural gas shows in the Paleozoic shales. Shales’ samples were taken and their physical characteristics are going to  be analysed in the coming weeks. The analysis outcome will indicate the shale section where to focus the next extraction tests, with the aim   to ascertain its potential for gas production and commercial viability. Meanwhile, in the next few days the drilling  of a second  well is starting, situated in the second of the three exploration licenses participated by the company.

The exploration activity is carried out directly by the Polish company Saponis Investment, which owns the three exploration licenses in the Polish Baltic Basin. Sorgenia E&P holds 26.8% of Saponis Investment. The other shareholders are the US company BNK Petroleum Inc., the Austrian Rohol-Aufsuchungs AG (RAG) and the Canadian LNG Energy ltd.