REMAINING POTENTIAL

Based on the geological studies, old seismic acquired by Albpetrol and these performed in the recent years by the foreign companies it appears that Albania, in spite of the existing oil and gas fields, still has a very good potential and is very promising area for further exploration in both onshore and offshore.

ONSHORE

Thrusting westwards in the Albanides and especially in the External Albanides are associated with the masking of the separate anticline structures or anticline chains, which have potential for new oil and gas discoveries. In the cases when thrusting westward is associated with the back thrust tectonic faults, synclines of triangular type are formed which are not easily identified but generally hide potential structures for oil and gas discoveries. From this point of view, still there is enough room for further exploration for identifying the new possible sub thrust structures in onshore areas. Seismic lines below illustrate this model. The possible structures linked to Triassic salt diapirism must be taken into consideration for further exploration in the onshore areas, close to the region where salt diapirism is present. See the following example. Gas Potential discoveries could be found under the existing oil discoveries in the deeper

levels, but the seismic information it is not enough, to draw the prospects. New reprocessing and acquisition of new seismic field are necessary for this target.

OFFSHORE

Oil Potential in the offshore area is related to the Possible Ionian carbonate structures and morphological highs of Apulia platform. In the appropriate conditions and places in the offshore there are possibilities for finding of the new and potential oil accumulations both in the clastic section (charged by the underlying platform carbonate) as it was the case in A4-1x well, and/or in the platform carbonate reservoirs. See the following lines. Gas Potential is related to the Miocene–Pliocene folded structures, as identified in the offshore to be valid based on old seismic (1991) and confirmed by the new seismic recently acquired. Taking into consideration the fact that, the dimensions of the prognosed structures in offshore are considerably larger than their analog structures in

the existing gas fields in onshore, big reserves of biogenic and /or termoogenic area expected to be found in the area.