Japan’s Agency of Natural Resources and Energy has chosen Tokyo-based operator Inpex to drill an exploratory well in the country’s offshore waters in the Sea of Japan.
Exploratory drilling will take place from May to August 2016, 80-86mi (130-140km) from the Yamaguchi and Shimane prefectures in water 650ft (210m) deep. Inpex says to prepare for the operation it will undertake a site survey next month to map the subsea surface and observe currents at the location. The objective of the project is to determine the presence of hydrocarbon deposits and conduct geological studies.
In 2011, the Japanese government conducted a geophysical survey at the Yamaguchi and Shimane prefectures as part of its domestic oil and natural gas exploration project. Inpex said in 2013, it conducted a 3D geophysical survey over the area.
In June, Inpex encountered a new oil column at the onshore Minami-Kuwayama oil field in the Nigata prefecture, approximately 800km northeast of Shimane.
