Aurelian Oil & Gas Plc (LON:AUL) (36.75p, %u25BC (2.65%)) provided an operational update. The Company expects to spud the first Siekierki horizontal well (Trzek-2) in June 2010. The long lead items for the processing facility will also be ordered in June 2010 and an updated reservoir modelling of the first Siekierki well supports CPR estimates. The spud date for first high impact Carpethian Thrust Fold Belt well at Bieszczady is planned for Q4 2010. Additional prospects have been identified from the 2009 2D seismic since publication of the CPR. Three seismic surveys both 2D and 3D are planned across Polish Core Areas of South Permian Basin and Carpethian Thrust Fold Belt in H2 2010. In the Voitinel/Solca trend in Romania, the results of the fracture of the 1650 sand will be available in the week commencing 17th May with results of flow test from the 1400 sand expected in June. A full programme of exploration and appraisal seismic and drilling activity is also planned for 2010. Finally John Conlin, a petroleum engineer with over 34 years' experience in the oil and gas industry, including 28 years at Shell, becomes Chairman at today's AGM.
Leed Petroleum Plc (LON:LDP) (4.78p, %u25BC (0.21%)) announced the completion of the Ship shoal 201 A-6 well and commencement of first production. Production initiated on 6 May 2010 at a gross rate of 1,615boepd (1,295boepd net. Drilling and completion operations were finished ahead of schedule and within the $9.8m budget allocated for the well. The Company also successfully bid for the Grand Isle 96 block which is adjacent to the Company's Grand Isle 95 and 100 blocks. The Company has identified several drilling prospects on this lease.
Volga Gas Plc (LON:VGAS)> (VGAS, 269p, %u25B2 (9.57%)) announced that legal proceedings have been commenced by its wholly-owned subsidiary, OOO Gaznefteservice (GNS), against OOO Gazneftedobycha (GND), a subsidiary of ZAO Trans Nafta, for the recovery from GND of a sum of RUR600m (approximately US$ 20m) plus interest accrued since November 2008. The sum was originally paid by GNS to GND as a prepayment for the agreed acquisition of a 75% interest in a gas processing unit which was intended to process gas and condensate from GNS's Vostochny Makarovskoye field. On 4 March 2010, the Company announced that a sum of RUR187m (approximately US$6.2m) had been paid by GNS to GND as GNS sought to complete the acquisition…
