RAK Gas and Poland’s Orlen have made a gas discovery at the Block 5 concession in the UAE’s Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) emirate. The state firm announced on 24 August that “During initial tests of the Pabdeh formation, gas was returned to the surface.” Further evaluation of the Oryx-1 well will continue in the weeks ahead.

Block 5 (see map) was awarded to PGNiG (now Orlen) in 2019 as part of the emirate’s debut licensing round, with the firm taking a 90% stake alongside RAK Gas (MEES, 18 January 2019). Most of the remaining onshore and offshore acreage on offer was subsequently snapped up by Eni in 2021 (MEES, 23 April). The Block 5 license comes with three two-year exploration periods and in the result of a commercial discovery, a 30-year production period. (CONTINUED - 509 WORDS)