Ascent Resources plc (Buy, 15p) (LON:AST, 3.3p, ► 0.0%) has commenced drilling the Pg-10 well which is the second redevelopment well of the Petisovci Project in Slovenia. The primary objective of the well is to confirm the reservoir quality and commerciality of the Middle Miocene reservoir section, independently assessed by RPS Energy ('RPS') to contain over 400 Bcf of gas-in-place, and secondarily to further delineate the substantial new deeper reservoir which was recently discovered by the Pg-11 well. Early estimates suggest that the newly discovered reservoirs could increase the RPS P50 gas estimate by over 50%. Significantly the deeper Miocene pay section in Pg-11A has better reservoir characteristics than the thinner sands, which produced a total of 8 Bcf of g as from the Pg-1 and Pg-5 wells at initial rates of 1.5 and 2.5 MMcfd in 1987. These rates were achieved after fracture stimulation of the vertical wells using, what are now considered to be, outdated techniques. With the increase in the gas resources of the field and their high pressure and temperature, a stimulation programme involving state-of-the-art fracturing treatments to optimise the gas recovery from the redevelopment is being implemented. Full details of the forward programme will be announced when fracture stimulation design, which will incorporate the extensive log and core data obtained from the Pg-11 and 11A wells, is complete within the next few weeks. Caza Oil & Gas, Inc. (LON:CAZA, 20.8p, ► 0.0%) provided an operational update on the Company's San Jacinto property in Midland County, Texas. The Caza Elkins 3401 well in Midland County, Texas, reached a total depth of 11,854 feet on June 21, 2011. Electric logs indicate multiple potential pay sands for both oil and gas in the Clearfork, Spraberry, Wolfcamp, Strawn, Atoka and Devonian formations. Caza is currently running production casing and preparing the Caza Elkins 3401 well for further completion operations. The completion procedure will include a fracture stimulation program. The rig has been released and will be moved to the Caza Elkins 3402 well location. The positive results associated with the Caza Elkins 3401 well have caused Caza to revise the targ et depth on the Caza Elkins 3402 well from 10,500 feet, as previously announced, to approximately 11,800 feet in order to test the Devonian formation. The well should take approximately 30 days to reach the target depth. The Company anticipates the initial fracture stimulation procedures on both the Caza Elkins 3401 and 3402 wells to be performed sequentially this August. Given the current environment regarding frac crews, the Company believes that performing these operations sequentially is the most expeditious and economically prudent way forward. African Mining and Exploration plc (LON:AME, 6.38p, ► 0.0%) announced that it has been granted three gold Reconnaissance Permits in Guinea. These permits provide AME with the exclusive right to search for gold and confirm prospectivity before the need to apply for a full Exploration Permit. Reconnaissance Permits are issued for three months and are renewable one time for an additional period of three months. Two of the three permits are in the Siguiri region (the Sonzani and Lielila permits), and the third is in the Dinguiraye region (the Dinguiraye permit) of Guinea. ATH Resources (LON:ATH, 41.25p, Price, ▲ 0.6%) announced that its application to mine 0.5 million tonnes of coal reserves from the Glenmuckloch East extension has been approved by the local planning authority in Dumfries and Galloway. As anticipated in planning processes of this nature, a number of matters remain to be concluded prior to the start of work at the mine which is scheduled to commence production towards the end of 2011. The Glenmuckloch East mine is an extension to ATH's existing operation at Glenmuckloch which will finish in the autumn of this year. Ormonde Mining plc (LON:ORM, 10.0p, ► 0.0%) reports further on-going results from its infill drilling programme on its Tungsten project at Barruecopardo. Results from the latest holes include: 13 m grading 0.55% WO(3), 7 metres grading 0.64% WO(3) and 11 metres grading 0.20% WO(3). The drilling results confirm the main tungsten zones in the southern portion of the deposit and overall continuity of the mineralisation. A formal response to the initial permitting submission to the regulatory authorities in Castilla y Leon has been received within the statutory timeframe. No unexpected matters were raised in the responses from the various government departments and NGO's. Dril-Quip, (LON:DRQ, $64.1, ▲0.4%) a leading manufacturer of highly engineered offshore drilling and production equipment which is well suited for use in deepwater, harsh environment and severe service applications, announced that it has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $39M by Murphy Sabah Oil Company, to supply drilling and production equipment for the Kikeh Dry Tree Spar Platform which is located offshore Malaysia in approximately 1,330 meters of water. Dril-Quip will provide a drilling riser, top tensioned production risers, tensioners, tieback connectors, specialty joints, surface wellheads and production trees to the project. Delivery of these systems is scheduled to begin in 2012.

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