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- April 2013
- Test Drilling of Oil and Natural Gas Resources has begun off the Southwest Coast of Sado, Niigata Prefecture
Agency for Natural Resources and EnergyTest Drilling of Oil and Natural Gas Resources has begun off the Southwest Coast of Sado, Niigata PrefectureFirst Test-Drilling Survey based on the Survey Results Collected by Survey Vessel Shigen
On April 14, 2013, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) began a test-drilling survey off the southwest coast of Sado, Niigata Prefecture, as a part of a fundamental project of surveying domestic oil and natural gas resources (a study for discovering Japan's potential oil and natural gas resources), aiming to confirm the current state of oil and natural gas in the area.
This survey is the first test drilling based on the survey results collected by the 3D (three-dimensional) seismic survey vessel Shigen, which was introduced by ANRE in February 2008.
ANRE is to conduct the test drilling for about three months to survey the current state of oil and natural gas in the area.
1. Outline of the project
- Name of the project:
- Exploratory drilling [Joetsu Kaikyu]
- Site to be drilled:
- Seafloor structures about 30 km off the southwest coast of Sado, Niigata Prefecture
- Period of drilling:
- Scheduled for about three months from April 14, 2013
- Entrustees:
- JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation (project implementing organization)
- Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (project manager)
- Vessel:
- Deep-sea drilling-vessel Chikyu
- Note:
- For a map of the sea area for the test drilling and a method of the drilling, see Appendix(PDF:265KB)
(in Japanese).
2. Coming schedule
By the end of FY2013, ANRE will analyze and assess the collected data in detail and confirm the current state of oil and natural resources in the area surrounding the test drilling site. ANRE will then study the feasibility of commercial production of the resources based on the results of the test drilling, through commissioning the study to the project implementation organization.
Release Date
April 15, 2013
Division in Charge
Petroleum and Natural Gas Division, Natural Resources and Fuel Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy