Apache Corporation has announced that Egypts Ministry of Petroleum has finalised the extension of the Khalda Offset and East Bahariya concessions in the Western Desert. The extensions will permit Apache to continue its exploration program across approximately 1.5mn acres.

State-owned oil major China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is holding negotiations over the development of the Maysan (Misan) oil fields in southern Iraq, according to the Middle-Eastern nations oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani.

GULFSANDS PETROLEUM HAS provided the following update on the companys operations at Block 26, Syria where Gulfsands holds a 50 per cent interest and acts as operator. The Yousefieh 3 vertical appraisal well, located approximately 500 meters to the south-east of the Yousefieh 1 discovery well,encountered the top of the Cretaceous Massive Formation at a measured depth("MD") of 1946 meters (1530 meters true vertical depth sub surface