A team of experts from a British geophysical survey firm, ARKeX, have embarked on an airborne study in exploration Area 5 (EA5) to identify structures with more prospective oil reservoir properties.

This comes after Neptune Petroleum, the company exploring for oil and gas in the West Nile region, confirmed the “generation and migration” of oil in the area, despite having hit two dry wells.

These include Iti-1, which was drilled in June 2009 without any obvious success and Avivi-1, which was four months back drilled to a total depth of 764 meters but did not encounter oil.

Rashid Mugabe, the Neptune environment and community affairs manager, said the survey experts will conduct their exercise in a period of three months if the weather permits.

Mugabe added that the survey would rely on hi-tech equipment and aircraft to fly over the 2,941 square kilometre concession.

“They are carrying out an aero-gravity gradiometry survey that will provide more definitive information on the basement. It will also help us focus better on the imminent seismic survey which could approach 500km,” he said.

The seismic interpretation would also provide the basis for selecting a third well location, the manager said.

Previously, Peter Kingston, the chairman of Tower Resources which owns Neptune Petroleum, said the target was to be ready to drill a third well, which is the commitment well as designated in the Production Sharing Agreement, as early as possible in 2011.

This would allow time for a follow up programme if required, since the firm’s current licence expires on March 2012, he said.