Po Valley Makes N Italy Gas Find
Australia's small independent Po Valley Energy (PVE) confirmed January 19 a "significant commercial discovery" at its new Selva gas field in northern Italy.
It announced flow testing of the recently drilled Podere Maiar 1-dir exploration well on the Selva gas field in the Podere Gallina onshore exploration licence (PVE 63% and operator; United Oil & Gas Plc 20%; Prospex Oil & Gas Plc 17%) and said its drill program intersected two identified gas reservoirs, C1 and C2, in the medium-upper Pliocene sands. The thickest level C2 (net pay 25.5 m) reported a peak flow rate of 148,136 standard m3/d (5.22mn ft3/d) on a 3/8 inch choke with no water. The higher level C1 (net pay 15.5 m) also reported strong flow test results with a peak flow rate of 129,658 m3/d on a 3/8 inch choke.
The 99.1% methane gas content, good flows, and the well's 600m proximity to a Italian national gas grid pipeline connection, mean that PVE will now prepare and submit a production concession application to the Italian government in 1H 2018, which it has already formally informed of the discovery. London-listed United managing director Brian Larkin said: "The flow test results exceeded our pre-drill expectations and we are now on the road to production."