Message #19 From:
NewsBot Date: June 22, 2006 05:00:00 AM
EEGC News Seismic Discovers Thunderbolt Anticline
LENEXA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 2006--Empire Energy Corporation International's (Empire) (OTCBB: EEGC) Australian subsidiary, Great South Land Minerals Ltd (GSLM), today announced significant new seismic results from its $2 million AUD, 150 km, survey completed onshore central Tasmania Basin, Australia. This was stage one of this year's planned $6 million AUD, 2D seismic campaign. Winter conditions increased the cost per kilometer to more than two times than that of our previous summer 2001 seismic survey; however, the quality and content of the results obtained have more than compensated for the lack of quantity.
Empire's President, Malcolm Bendall, stated: "This brings the total onshore seismic completed on SEL 13/98 to 809 km, and we expect to substantially add to this later in the year in support of our anticipated drilling program planned to start next month. The initial results look very impressive and exceeded our expectations considering the difficult terrain, geology and climatic conditions. We attribute this considerable improvement in data quality to Terrex Seismic's new digital geophone equipment and improved acquisition parameters which were defined as a result of our four-year, $700,000 AUD joint study with the federal government, which is still ongoing. As a result, we have identified several new structures and can see a large southerly extension to the Bellevue Anticline that we had initially identified in the 2001 survey."
Dr. Clive Burrett, Managing Director of GSLM, said: "Our preliminary seismic interpretation indicates a large buried anticlinal structure in our older Larapintine Paleozoic petroleum system. This anticline is parallel to similar structures within exposed Ordovician carbonates on the floor of the Florentine Valley, which were also recorded in the current survey. We have named this discovery the Thunderbolt Anticline and estimate it is about 20 km across and, based on surface geology, is possibly 50 km long, potentially forming another domal structure. Therefore, it may be comparable in size and shape to our adjacent Bellevue Anticline (dome). We have also identified other attractive anticlinal structures within the seismic data that are evident north of Ouse, both within the older (Larapintine) and younger (Gondwana) petroleum systems."
Mr. Bendall, currently in London pursuing the AIMS listing of Zeehan Zinc Ltd (ZZ), explained: "If these structures, potentially over 1,000 sq km in size, are charged with oil or gas then we are looking at very substantial, undiscovered, potential resources. When our seismic trucks return, expected in the southern hemisphere spring (August/September 2006), we may add appreciably to our inventory of large, well defined targets that are listed for drilling. I am pleased that coincident with the preliminary interpretation of these exciting seismic results, Professor Zhang Waxin, from China, hosted by Empire director Tad Ballantyne (who has been spear-heading our Pacific Rim Food interests in China) is currently in Tasmania on his due diligence visit, detailed previously in our April 6, 2006, Press Release. Professor Zhang Waxin has reviewed the recent positive ZZ drilling results and has inspected the Comstock mill and open pit sites. He has also viewed the successful operation of our revolutionary Nano Key Ball Mill technology in Melbourne and has been briefed on its potential commercial applications. We look forward to the commercial opportunities that may be created by this visit and are pleased that Professor Zhang Waxin had the opportunity to review our projects and meet with the Deputy Premier of the Australian state of Tasmania, Brian Green, who, in addition, is the Minister of Mines and State Development in Tasmania."
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