“FOGL now has licences covering a vast area and has by far the largest acreage of any company operating in the region,” said John Armstrong executive chairman of FOGL and of Global.

The licence area is adjacent to its existing licences where FOGL (77.5%) is in a joint venture with Hardman Resources (22.5%).

Geophysical Services Incorporated has been contracted to undertake a 2D seismic survey on FOGL’s joint venture acreage. That survey will now be extended to include the new area, allowing the mobilisation and demobilisation costs to be spread over both licence areas.

FOGL said the seismic survey over the two areas would amount to over 10,000kms of 2D seismic lines.

The surveys will investigate the eight leads already identified in the 33,000 sq km JV area as well as providing a 5,000 km reconnaissance grid of new seismic lines in the new 50,000 sq km area. The new data would be used to grade the eight leads, to investigate other parts of the JV licence area and to provide the first-ever seismic survey of the new permit.

Global Petroleum has a 16% shareholding in FOGL.