WesternZagros Resources Ltd. has secured the 2,000 HP Viking Drilling Rig #10 through a contract with Maritas Co., a subsidiary of Viking Services of the United States, to drill the Mil Qasim-1 well. The additional horsepower of this rig provides increased optionality for drilling future prospects. The Viking Rig #10 is being mobilized for WesternZagros following drilling and testing of General Exploration Partners, Inc.'s Atrush-1 discovery in Northern Kurdistan. The Mil Qasim-1 well site construction is near completion with the anticipated spud date of the well in July 2011.

Testing of the Sarqala-1 well is delayed due to the requirement to replace production tubing, found to be defective despite recent third party inspection. Simon Hatfield, CEO of WesternZagros, commented, "While we are frustrated by the delay, such operational problems are a recognized risk and we remain committed to upholding internationally recognized safety standards and adhering to strict quality control guidelines to ensure well integrity. We look forward to reporting to stakeholders on the oil potential of the Jeribe reservoir in due course."

Tags: WesternZagros Resources Ltd.