The Directors of Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc are pleased to provide details of the timing for the forthcoming West Firsby-9 development well.

A letter of intent has been signed for Geometric to use their HH102 rig for a new development well on the field. Well cellar construction will commence on the 18th November and the tophole section is expected to be pre-drilled ahead of the arrival of the HH102 rig in December.

West Firsby-9 will be engineered as a 2,000 ft long near-horizontal producer with the reservoir expected to be encountered in a structurally high position on the field. The reservoir will be completed openhole to minimise formation damage and with packers to give zonal production flexibility.

Paul Barrett, Managing Director, said `We are looking forward very much to the drilling of this crestal well and the decision to drill a new well instead of a sidetrack greatly reduces technical risk and allows much more operational flexibility with respect to completion strategy. According to the expected timetable, the well should be on production early in the New Year.'

Tags: Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc