Following the initial evaluation phase of the Siciny-2 well in the Carboniferous Basin in Poland and having evaluated the quality of five prospective zones for unconventional shale and tight gas accumulations, San Leon Energy is moving forward with a 220 km² 3D seismic survey over the location.

Oil & Gas Financial Journal previously reported that Exxon Mobil Corp. [NYSE: XOM] had pulled the plug on further shale exploration in Poland due to poor results from test wells. However, there may be more to the story than simple economics.

In what appears to be an abrupt turnabout, Texas-based Exxon Mobil Corporation [NYSE: XOM] said on Monday, June 18 that it will not pursue shale gas exploration in Poland.

Houston-based Apache Corporation [NYSE, Nasdaq: APA] on June 14 released a new, detailed resource estimate of its oil- and liquids-rich portfolio, including substantial holdings in the Permian Basin and Anadarko Basin, recently acquired acreage in the liquids-rich Mississippian Lime and Williston Basin resource plays, and significant new plays and oil exploration prospects in Canada, Argentina, Alaska, and Kenya.

Russia’s Rosneft and ExxonMobil signed an agreement on June 15 to jointly develop tight oil reserves in Western Siberia and establish a joint Arctic Research Center for Offshore Developments.

TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd. announced June 7 that the Turkish Competition Authority has approved the company's sale of its oilfield services business to Dalea Partners, LP, an affiliate of N. Malone Mitchell, 3rd, TransAtlantic’s chairman and CEO.

Delegates at the World Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur believe China has the potential to overtake North America and become the world’s leading producer of shale gas by 2030, according to a poll conducted by GL Noble Denton.

Peter Voser, the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, told a group of reporters at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 5 that the oil major will apply its technology, operational expertise, and global experience to jointly develop shale gas in China with state-controlled China National Petroleum Corp.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States has authorized a $2.95 billion direct loan to support US exports to the Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. The transaction is Ex-Im’s second-largest single-project financing in history and is also the Bank’s first LNG project in Australia.

PetroChina Co., which recently surpassed ExxonMobil as the world’s largest energy producer, is in talks with Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Hess Corp., about forming a joint venture to develop shale oil in the Santanghu Basin in northwestern Xinjiang province, according to a PetroChina subsidiary.

GL Noble Denton has opened its first base in West Africa with operations in Lagos, Nigeria in an effort to access hydrocarbon reserves available in the Gulf of Guinea.

BNK Petroleum Inc.’s wholly owned subsidiary Indiana Investments Sp. Z o.o. said that on February 28, 2012 the company began drilling the Miszewo T-1 well on its Trzebielino concession block in Poland.

ZaZa Energy Corp. has completed the combination of Toreador Resources and ZaZa Energy LLC, creating an international resource-focused exploration and production company.

Europe and North Africa-focused San Leon Energy has completed the drilling and initial evaluation of another unconventional gas well in Poland and discovered a new potential unconventional gas play in the process.