UK Oil & Gas today announced that Pinarova-1 drilling operations commenced at 0800 local time on Friday 7th April, 2023. Drilling of 12¼ inch diameter hole down to the first casing point at a depth of  around 300 metres below surface is underway and is expected to take around 8-10 days. Following setting of 9⅝ inch casing, the well will then drill through the target Hoya section and ultimately down to a total depth of approximately 500-550 metres below surface. A UKOG geologist is on site to assist in recording geology and identifying any mobile oil to surface in drilling cuttings and or mud.

Pinarova-1, located 6 km north of the Basur-1 oil discovery, is designed to test a working hypothesis, supported by well and seismic data, that the active 41.7˚ API light oil seep found last summer in a seismic shot hole above the Pinarova structure, is directly fed by and connected to an underlying light oil accumulation of some 9 km² areal extent within Eocene Hoya group limestones, lying around 300-645 metres below surface (see RNS of 11th January 2023 and 30th  June 2022).

UKOG holds a 50% non-operated interest in Pinarova-1 and the surrounding 305 km² Resan licence, which also includes the as yet undeveloped Basur-1 light oil discovery.

KeyFacts Energy: UKOG Turkey country profile