Total is set to soon start drilling Denmark’s first shale gas test wells after gaining approval from a city council, according to a report.
The French supermajor and state-owned oil and gas fund Nordsofonden will spud a well some time this summer, Reuters quoted Karin Rasmussen, a spokesperson for the Frederikshavn municipality city council, as saying.
However, the consortium will only be allowed to drill one conventional well without using fracturing, to test shale gas potential, the report added.
Total has an 80% stake in the consortium with Nordsofonden.
The Frederikshavn city council voted late in 2012 in favour of Total’s drill plans. The French player is partnered by Nordsofonden on two large blocks in northern Denmark, and had previously homed in on the L1/10 licence in Nordjylland to drill the first probe, to be called Vendsyssel-1.
The pair operates two large areas covering a total of 5261 square kilometres in the Norddjylland and Nordsjaelland regions. They were awarded six–year exploration licences for the acreage in 2010, with Total as operator.
Total is targeting the Alum shale play, which it has previously said is located at a depth of about 4000 metres.
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