A group of Australian and Russian companies has won an exploration license for the Prizalivnaya block on Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk off eastern Russia. Stirling Resources NL, Perth, said the license will be split 50-50 between Australian and Russian partners.
The Australian group is made up of Stirling, Hardman Resources NL, and several private Australian aid western interests. Russian partners are government company Vostokgeology and joint stock company Sakhalin Potential.
The Prizalivanya block covers 167 sq km, about 14 km from offshore Lunskoye field, awarded recently to the S combine (OGJ, July 4, p. 32).
Prizalivnaya is said to contain four prospects. A discovery well for Mezhdurechenskay oil field flowed 1,500 b/d of 37.5' gravity oil on test. Russian estimates place Mezhdurechenskay reserves at 180 million bbl of oil. Stirling said the other three prospects are undrilled. Assessment of seismic data is under way before deciding on a drilling program.
The Stirling group last March won a license to explore the 1,000 sq km Kholmsk block. This lies in the southwest part of Sakhalin Island, northwest of the town of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk.
Stirling said five shallow wells drilled on one Kholmsk structure during the 1960s found gas shows. Existing data will be studied and reconnaissance seismic data acquired before a well is drilled.
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