Europa Oil & Gas (LON:EOG) is weighing up plans to sidetrack the Barchiz-1 discovery well in the spring. The company has provided an operational update ahead of today’s AGM. Last week, Europa revealed that it had found oil in Romania with Barchiz-1. However the oil sample was contaminated and further analysis could not be carried out. This morning, Europa revealed that it has re-run a drill stem test (DST) and the sample contained crude oil along with mud filtrate and formation water. Consequently it believes that Barchiz-1 is located in the lower part of an oil column, next to an up-dip oil accumulation. "The evidence from the Barchiz well suggests it was drilled on the edge of a Geamana-style oil accumulation,” managing director Paul Barrett said. “It is, however, too early to assess potential reserves and eventual flow rates that can be achieved with a full flow test and an up-dip sidetrack, “Future operations are expected to provide these numbers.” Barchiz-1 has now been suspended until after the winter. Europa is currently considering a few options for the next work programme, mainly plans for a sidetrack and a full flow test. The company also updated investors on its operations in the UK, where it is currently working on the West Firsby-9 well in Lincolnshire. It is designed to be a near-horizontal oil production well. Europa recently poured the concrete to complete the ‘well cellar construction’, and now it will be pre-drilled and cased before the Geometric HH102 rig drills the main section in late December.

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