LNG Energy Ltd. ("LNG") exercised its option to participate for a 12% net interest in BNK Petroleum Inc.'s ("BNK") exploration project in Poland. LNG acquired its option through its 60% ownership of BWB Exploration, LLC ("BWB") which holds the option to participate for up to a 20% interest and has exercised the option to participate in full. The three concessions, Starogard, Slupsk and Slawno, are located in Northern Poland and total approximately 734,000 acres (2,972 square kms), for an approximate net 88,000 acres to LNG.
Recent industry activity
Concurrent with LNG Energy's notice of participation with BWB, 3legs Resources plc's Polish subsidiary, Lane Energy Sp.z.o.o, announced (August 6th, 2009) that it had reached a farm-in agreement with ConocoPhillips on their acreage offsetting those lands held by BNK Petroleum. Subsequently, interest levels in pursuing Gas Shales in Poland has elevated substantially with additional international majors, both Marathon and Chevron, having announced their acreage holdings and interest to exploit Gas Shales in Poland.
Planned activity in 2010
License commitments will require the drilling and testing of one exploration well, per concession, before the end of 2010.
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The opportunity
The opportunity is primarily targeting a Silurian aged resource play within the Baltic Basin, consisting of gas shales with a minimum gross thickness of 1000 ft (300m) and a maximum gross thickness of 3300ft (1100m) over all three concession areas. The resource presence is defined by wells that have been extensively cored (core intervals exceed 1000 m) for both scientific and exploration purposes by Polish research institutes over the last 50 years. Sampling of existing well cores has been completed, with testing having been initiated within laboratories familiar with characterizing US based gas resource plays. Preliminary core test results and resource characterization have been extremely encouraging relative to known US shale gas arenas and provided the technical rationale for participation.
Currently, Poland does not have sufficient internal natural gas production to meet its domestic demand requirements and must import additional natural gas from trans-European gas pipelines supplied by Russia. Two thirds of Poland's domestic requirements are met by imports from Russia, Uzbekistan and Germany (Source: Ministry of Economy, Republic of Poland). Consequently, all gas production is anticipated to be purchased within the domestic marketplace at prices substantially greater than those available within North America.
Lane Energy Poland Sp z.o.o. ("Lane"), who operates the adjoining and contiguous acreage (comprising six concessions totaling approximately 1 million acres), has recently entered into a joint venture participation with ConocoPhillips announcing it as a significant shale gas resource play opportunity immediately adjacent to the three optioned BNK concessions (see map below; BNK's concessions are held by Saponis Investments). ConocoPhillips is currently doing core analysis and plans to spud their first well in May 2010.
Topography Baltic Basin
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Baltic Basin Regional Gravity Map
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