Drillship Globetrotter-1 has spudded the Vinekh-1 exploration well (December 21st 2025).

Vinekh-1 is located in the OMV Petrom-operated Han Asparua license offshore Bulgaria, it will target three stratigraphically trapped Plio-Miocene channel sand reservoirs (A1, A3 and B1). 

The main reservoir (A1) is believed to be equivalent to the reservoir in TPAO's 58 BCM Çaycuma discovery, across the maritime border in Türkiye. The A1 reservoir target at Vinekh-1 is at around 3250m TVDSS, and the water depth is 1900m. The Vinekh-1 AFE, including production tests (if required), is approx EUR 109 million (approx. USD 128 million).

Upon completion of Vinekh-1, Globetrotter-1 will move west to drill the Krum-1 well to test the Krum prospect. Krum also comprises three Plio-Miocene stratigraphically trapped channel sand reservoirs (D, C-Upper and C-Lower). The well location (yet to be confirmed) was chosen to penetrate the main reservoir layers (D and C Lower) at an optimal site. Consequently, the Krum-1 well will not reach the C-Upper reservoir. The D reservoir target at the Krum-1 well location is at 3540m TVDSS, the water depth is 1760m. The Krum-1 AFE, including production tests (if required), is approx EUR 86 million (approx. USD 101 million).

Independent resource estimates were carried out by Netherland, Sewell and Associates, Inc (NSAI) on behalf of partner NewMed Energy for the Vinekh and Krum prospects, and these are summarized in the table below.

The Black Sea, Plio-Miocene, biogenic gas discoveries are mainly structural traps, although some may have a stratigraphic component. The top seal for the structural discoveries is proven. A key risk and uncertainty for the stratigraphic traps is the nature of the lateral / base seal. The base seal lithologies can be a heterogeneous mixture of shales and silts. Over geological time all seals leak. The presence of full saturation versus residual gas is controlled by the rate at which the sealing lithologies leak versus the rate of charge from shales within the conventional biogenic gas window. The three cross sections in the slide below illustrate possible scenarios for structural and stratigraphic traps based on the rate of leakage versus charge. 

The results of the high-impact Vinekh-1 and Krum-1 wells will be eagerly anticipated.

Ciaran Nolan
Director, Nolan Geoscience Limited

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Nolan Geoscience