Gas flowing from Moroccan shale

LIMERICK, Ireland, June 26 (UPI) -- Irish explorer Circle Oil, which focuses on North African reserves, said gas was flowing from its first shale well drilled into a basin in Morocco.

The company said it reached a stabilized flow rate of 1.9 million cubic feet per day in its LAM-1 well in the Lalla Mimouna permit area onshore Morocco.

"We are delighted that our first well on the Lalla Mimouna block has such positive results, flowing gas at significant rates," Circle Chief Executive Officer Mitch Flegg said in a statement. "The productivity of this first well is very encouraging for the expansion of Circle's portfolio of Morocco gas fields."

Morocco is one of the West African countries that have drawn interest from international energy companies eager to tap into unexploited reserves. Onshore, the country holds an estimated 20 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale oil and natural gas reserves.

Rival company Gulfsands Petroleum in early 2015 said natural gas was flowing at a rate of 10 million cubic feet per day at a test well in northern Morocco.

Gulfsands, which has headquarters in London, said last year it planned to spend $3.5 million to develop its acreage in northern Morocco.