The construction of the drill site at the Attila licence in France has now been completed. The mobilization of the drilling rig MR-7000 commenced on Tuesday, September 18. The spud of the Pierre Maubeuge 2 (PLM-2) exploration well is expected on or about Tuesday, September 25.

The drilling rig, MR-7000 from French contractor COFOR, is being mobilized from elsewhere in France. The transportation and the rig up are expected to take 6 days. MR-7000 is a 750 horsepower rig with maximum pressure of 5 000 psi and a hookload capacity 150 metric tons.

The purpose with the exploration well is to explore for a natural gas field like the neighbouring 100 BCF Trois-Fontaines field. The drilling target is a 3-way dip-closed, faulted structure at a depth of 1 400 metres. Drilling operations are expected to last for about 20 days.

The Attila licence is located in the oil and gas producing Paris basin about 250 kilometres east of Paris, with the cities of Verdun in the north and Nancy in the east. Tethys has a 40 per cent interest in the license with private French oil company Galli Coz S.A. having 60 per cent and operatorship.