With the effect as of 24 July 2020, the officials in Slovakia accepted the change of the rightholding structure in the Svidnik contract in eastern Slovakia. Following the departure of a partner and the official approval, the contract became fully owned by Discovery GeoServices Corporation, acting in Slovakia through subsidiary Alpine Oil & Gas s.r.o.  The 34 sq km Svidnik permit is located some 50-80 km north-east of the city of Kosice, close to the border with Poland. In a geological sense, the area is located within the Carpathian Flysch Zone (partly in the Raca and Siary sub-units of the Magura thrust).   Background Information  The Svidnik block was initially granted to Aurelian Oil & Gas effective 1 August 2006. On 1 August 2014, the Svidnik contract was extended until 30 July 2016 and, on 1 August 2016, the validity of the contract was prolonged until 1 August 2021. At the same time, the area of the block was reduced from 469 sq km to 145 sq km. On 18 June 2018 the area of the Svidnik block was diminished from 145 sq km to 34 sq km.  On 7 April 2008, Aurelian announced it had agreed to farm-out a 25% share in the tracts to JKX. Soon thereafter, on 5 June 2008, Aurelian announced it had agreed to farm-out a 25% share in the Svidnik, Medzilaborce and Snina licences to S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ SA. On 12 November 2012, San Leon Energy plc and Aurelian Oil & Gas plc announced they have agreed on the terms of a recommended merger pursuant to which San Leon will acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Aurelian. The transaction was closed in February 2013. San Leon Energy sold its 50% operating stake in the Medzilaborce, Snina and Svidnik contracts to Discovery GeoServices Corporation on 5 April 2014. By mid-2014 (possibly still in late April/May?), Discovery GeoServices Corporation effectuated change of the legal entity holding the contracts: previous owner of the concessions, Aurelian Oil&Gas Slovakia s.r.o., was changed to Alpine Oil & Gas s.r.o. In early April 2018, partner JKX Oil & Gas withdrew from the respective Concession Agreement and the Joint Operation Agreement. In June 2018, ROMGAZ SA upped its share in the Svidnik block, by acquiring a 8.33% stake (to hold 33.33%). News from early 2020 suggested that ROMGAZ had opted to withdraw from the joint-venture group.  The group active in the tract was intending since 2015 to spud a wildcat well in the block at the location Smilno (location Zborov was selected as an alternative). However, due to strong opposition of the local communities, the spud of the Smilno well was continually postponed. In summer of 2018, following the withdrawal of JKX from the consortium, the group relinquished all holdings in Slovakia, diminishing the size of the Svidnik block just to the area of the expected drilling location. The situation in late 2018 was such that, after completing an environmental assessment study for the location Smilno and Zborov in 2017 and winning access to the wellsite, the operator was hopeful to be able to commence the drilling operations. The drilling was expected take place in 2019. It is understood, the decision to pull out of the project was taken in late 2019.  The area of interest is known for past hydrocarbon production activities, for example in the vicinity of the village of Mikova. The results of magnetotelluric surveys, combined with reinterpretation of the vintage seismic data helped to identify a number of shallow prospects, with the Smilno 1 well proposed to test one of such prospects.
Following the departure of a partner and the official approval, the contract became fully owned by Discovery GeoServices Corporation, acting in Slovakia through subsidiary Alpine Oil & Gas s.r.o.