<>Desire Petroleum plc (Desire) is a UK company listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) dedicated to exploring for oil and gas in the North Falkland Basin.
Desire has recently completed a 6 well exploration programme. The Liz well encountered dry gas and gas condensate at 2 separate levels while other wells recorded shows.
Together with the Rockhopper Exploration Sea Lion oil discovery in the licence to the north, these wells have provided significant encouragement for the potential of the North Falkland Basin. The oil at Sea Lion is of particular interest as this has demonstrated that oil is trapped in potentially significant quantities in a fan sandstone on the east flank of the basin. It is believed that over 50% of this east flank play fairway is on Desire operated acreage.
Desire has now completed new 3D seismic acquisition which provides coverage over the east flank play, Ann, Pam and Helen prospects. The results from fast-track processing of priority areas are provided in the 2011 CPR. A farm-out to Rockhopper has been announced. The revised equities are shown on the licence map (subject to regulatory approval and completion of the farm-in well). Desire Petroleum
Desire soars on take-over talk
Shares in Desire Petroleum more than doubled today following internet bulletin board speculation of a bid approach for the Falkland Islands-focused explorer and an oil find, traders said.
News wires 27 October 2010 10:37 GMT
An approach at two pounds per share was being talked about, one unnamed trader told Reuters.
Desire, whose shares later pared earlier gains to trade up 50% at 99 pence at 1012 GMT, could not be reached for comment.
Desire said earlier in October it would drill a sidetrack well on its Rachel prospect in the North Falklands basin after the original well failed to find oil.
It said on 15 October the sidetrack would take 20 days to drill.
"I would expect a statement from the company very soon because the share price has just rocketed and that indicates that there is some leakage somewhere as far as the news goes, and given the direction it's gone, it would indicate it's positive," said Westhouse Securities analyst David Hart.
Published: 27 October 2010 10:37 GMT | Last updated: 27 October 2010 10:39 GMT
some clever rumour making in order to get out before the dry well announcement imo. Hope not though as still hold religiously, - oh what a roller coaster!!
quite so ..... if i'd been on the ball i might have done something (one way or the other!) with a guaranteed stop, but did not know at the time how to set that - i now do