First Oil Expro and partners, Faroe Petroleum and DONG Energy (operator), are pleased to announce a discovery of gas in the Glenlivet license West of Shetland.

First Oil farmed in to this well in August 2009 as part of our strategy to grow through exploration, developments and production. Glenlivet is the second significant discovery made by First Oil in 2009 following our Juliet success in January.

The Glenlivet well encountered the prognosed gas pay in Paleocene sandstone. An extensive coring, logging and sampling program have been carried out and confirming excellent reservoir and saturation parameters (61 meters net pay gas section).

The Glenlivet well is the first well to be drilled by First Oil in the West of Shetland sector. The exploration well is being drilled with the deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig, Transocean Rather. The exploration well was spudded on 22nd August 2009 and despite very harsh weather, the drilling operation went according to plan and total depth was reached on 10th September.

Sidetrack operations are currently being considered to appraise the size of the gas discovery. (October 2009)