On 17 July 2018, the General Directorate of Petroleum Affairs (GDPA) awarded Turkish Petroleum Corp (TPAO) two new and exclusive exploration licences for onshore areas E19-d3, d4 (273.39 sq km) and F18-b2 (107.67 sq km). The licences are located in the NW Turkish provinces of Kirklareli and Tekirdag (District I) and will be valid for an initial five-year term. They adjoin various existing exploration licence held by TPAO and lie within the Thrace Basin.<P />The Thrace Basin has received a lot of attention recently, following Valeura and Equinor's successful Yamalik 1 NFW. Over four production tests within the Eocene Kesan formation, the well tested an aggregate 24-hour rate of around 2.9 MMcfg/d, thereby validating the JV's basin-centred gas play concept. Areas E19-d3, d4 and F18-b2 lie along the northern edge of this play fairway.<P />TPAO submitted the applications for the areas on 12 December 2017. The company holds a 100% interest in all three exploration licences.
TPAO (100%) was awarded exploration licences L44-C1,C2, E19-D3, D4, E19-D3, D4 and F18-B2, N52-A