Croatian oil company INA has announced the discovery of a significant gas deposit in the Drava-03 exploration area, with an initial estimated volume of between 120 and 150 million cubic meters. The gas was found at the Obradovci-5 well, located in Virovitica-Podravina County, near the village of Zdenci.
According to INA, the testing of the deepest interval of the well showed a daily gas flow of approximately 144,000 cubic meters, while the B4 interval recorded a daily flow of around 98,000 cubic meters, within the testing equipment’s capacity. The well was drilled to a final depth of 1,817 meters in September of this year. Following an analysis of the commercial viability of the discovery, the next steps will involve securing an exploitation field and constructing a connecting gas pipeline. INA aims to bring the well into production by the end of 2028, initially tapping the deepest B6 interval.
Josip Bubnic, Operating Director of Exploration and Production at INA, emphasized the importance of this discovery, noting that it would contribute significantly to Croatia’s gas supply security. He also highlighted that both the state and local communities would benefit financially through production sharing, mining royalties, and other fees paid by INA as the investor.
This discovery follows the previous gas find at the Veliki Rastovac-1 well, marking the second significant gas discovery in the Drava-03 exploration block, which is part of INA’s ongoing exploration efforts in the Pannonian Basin that began four years ago. Over the past five years, INA has invested around 450 million euros in oil and gas exploration and production. The exploration phase in the Drava-03 block will conclude with the drilling of the Veliki Rastovac-2 Duboka well in January 2025.
