After reaching a total depth of 8870 feet in the Ashern formation, operator Golden Eye Resources is plugging and suspending the Brekhus-2-14 well.

"A drill stem test across the interval 8765-8825 feet within the Winnipegosis reef section recovered only minor amounts of drilling mud," Emerald said this morning.

"This result showed the carbonates to have only low porosity and permeability even though scattered live and dead oil shows were encountered during drilling."

But Emerald still believes that other zones in the well could be future candidates for horizontal well completions from the same bore.

"The operator advises that a 60-foot core was recovered within the Bakken and underlying Three Forks formations and is currently being analysed," Emerald said.

"This option [horizontal well completion] will be researched more fully during the coming months [following] integration of the well results and 3D seismic data over Greenbush."

The rig is currently moving to the Steinberger-1-16 well about two miles west of Brekhus-2-14.

"This well should spud over the coming weekend," Emerald said.

"The operator is considering deepening the Steinberger well to again test the Bakken and Three Forks section, which was cored at Brekhus-2-14.

The primary objective at Steinberger-1-16 is an oolitic carbonate build-up within the Sherwood and Mohall zones mapped from 3D seismic.

Emerald has a 15% working interest in this prospect.