Independent Resources PLC
11 December 2006
Drilling of well marks further step on planned coal bed methane project
Independent Resources plc, the AIM-quoted natural gas storage and exploration
company, has successfully completed drilling and logging a stratigraphic well to
obtain detailed geological information on Italy's first coal bed methane ('CBM')
prospect.
The well reached a target depth of 345.2 metres below ground level and, as
expected, encountered an approximately 6-metre thick coal seam at a depth of
around 330 metres. The coal has been continuously cored and these coal samples
are now being studied in a laboratory environment. The well will provide
information on coal permeability, coal rank, gas content (m3/tonne coal) and gas
composition. These are all important factors in assessing the attractiveness of
the coal for production of CBM.
The well location was chosen because the depth to the coal could be accurately
predicted there. It is 600 metres away from the nearest mine tunnel, and at a
relatively shallow depth, which means the generation of coal bed methane at this
location would probably be less productive than might be achieved elsewhere in
Independent Resources' Fiume Bruna licence area.
The data collected by this well will nevertheless be very valuable ahead of
IRG's planned commercial development of the methane reserves on its licence,
which contains the 90 square-kilometre Fiume Bruna coal basin north of Grosseto
in central Italy.
Coal bed methane is almost pure methane produced directly from coal seams.
Whilst many conventional oil and gas fields comprise trapped hydrocarbons
generated by coal deposits, producing gas directly from coal is a very different
technical and economic proposition.
IRG was provisionally awarded the Fiume Bruna exploration licence from the
Italian Government in June 2005. The licence covers an area of 267 km(2) and has
very light work commitments.
The new well is an important step in the staged appraisal of the licence which
only commits IRG to undertake subsequent phases once it is satisfied with the
results of the previous stage.
For further information contact:
Stephen Staley, Managing Director, Independent Resources plc: 01332 865 253
07771 838 753
Allan Piper, First City Financial Public Relations: 020 7436 7486
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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