This article is extracted from International Oil Letter, Vol 25 issue 04, published 26 January 2009

January 2009 is proving an important time for ExxonMobil as the company spudded the Földeák 1 exploration well in the Mako Trough Production License. This is the company's second well in the yet-to-be commercially proven play known as the "deep center gas accumulation" (DCGA). Földeák 1 is testing the hydrocarbon potential of the Szolnok Formation, estimated at a depth of 3,000-4,000m. It is part of the initial work program agreed under the April 2008 Production and Development Agreement and amended in December 2008. The group seek to confirm the hypothesis that the tight sandstone series hold gas potential of at least 20 Tcf. Participants in the well include ExxonMobil (operator; 33.5%), Falcon Oil & Gas (33%) and domestic Magyar Olaj- es Gazipari Rt (MOL) (33.5%). The consortium's first well, Mindszent 3 in the southern part of the 107 Mindszent permit, was spudded on 23 August 2008 and is believed to be still active (testing?). Located within the center of the Mako trough area, the well is expected to test reservoir potential of the turbiditic series of the Endröd, Szolnok and Algyö formations at depths of between 4,000 to 6,000m. This permit is valid until 15 June 2009.

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