Local industry sources indicate that Nafta a.s. was granted a new exploration contract in the southeastern part of the country on 4 October 2018. The tract, named Besa, holds11 years validity term. Nafta is the sole operator of the tract.    The Besa contract, located in the Kosicky political province of eastern Slovakia, some 30 km southeast of the city of Kosice, is covering approximately 260 sq km. In a geological sense, the tract is situated within the East Slovak Sub-basin (Pannonian Basin).  The application for the area was lodged likely in late August/early September 2018.    Background Information    Nafta is the only active operator in eastern Slovakia, holding the Vychodoslovenska nizina permit (awarded on 21 July 2003, valid until 4 November 2019), as well as some dozen production concessions.  The Besa block is covering almost the same area as the previously-existing block Besa nad Latoricou (27 February 2003-22 February 2012)  Although the exploration in the area has a long history, the East Slovak Sub-basin is still believed to hold untapped hydrocarbon potential. In 2009, Nafta conducted the acquisition of a 3D vibroseismic survey designated TrhoviÅ¡te in the nearly Vychodoslovenska nizina block (roughly 135 sq km on new data was acquired). In late 2015, Nafta drilled outpost SennÃ© 46 - planned total depth of 1,851 m - that tested commercial quantities of gas (rates undisclosed) from the reservoirs in the Upper Sarmatian-Upper Badenian (Miocene) strata.
Nafta a.s. was granted a new exploration contract in the southeastern part of the country on 4 October 2018. The tract, named Besa, holds11 years validity term. Nafta is the sole operator of the tract. The Besa contract, located in the Kosicky political province of eastern Slovakia, 