NAFTA’s exploring in Slovakia

Since then, NAFTA is continuing to acquire geological data, knowledge and experience that the company is utilizing in its operations and is contributing significantly to its success in geological projects. Simultaneously, the geological data it has gained are of much wider social and economic importance. This data is being used to obtain an understanding of the earth’s geological composition and to search for sources of geothermal energy.

NAFTA is currently the most important player in Slovakia’s oil and gas exploration sector. We have long been active mainly in the Vienna Basin and the Eastern Slovak Lowland, where the country’s most important regional hydrocarbons are located. However, these regions have already been largely explored and exploited from long-term activity. In order to continue production and remain strong in this specific sector, NAFTA is going to be concentrating on exploration in other regions in Slovakia.

In 2014, NAFTA acquired the almost 800-square-kilometer Trnava Exploration Area and two years later began cooperating with Canada-based Vermilion Energy to jointly develop this license. 3D seismic measurement was carried out around Trnava in 2017, covering an area of about 252 km2, which was the largest 3D seismic project ever to have been conducted in Slovakia. Potential gas deposits were identified from geological interpretation of the data obtained from the measurement and these will be verified by exploration wells. Working together with the Vermilion Group, exploration has expanded into the neighboring area and led to the acquisition of the new Topoľčany Exploration Area, with an area of almost 1,200 km². Surface geochemical exploration conducted in 2019 confirmed the area’s hydrocarbon potential. In order to examine further the potential of sites in the Eastern Slovak Lowland, NAFTA began last year collaborating with Aspect Holdings there at the 771-square kilometer Beša Exploration Area. In October 2019, the area of joint activity rose by more than 1,000 km² with the acquisition of the Pavlovce nad Uhom Exploration Area.

Overview of current exploration by NAFTA and international partners in Slovakia:

In exploration and production, NAFTA’s objective is both to effectively utilize the potential of the exploration areas with cutting-edge methods and also exploit the production potential of deposits that have already been opened up. Proper reservoir management and application of appropriate procedures can extend the life of these storage facilities by eight to ten years.

Although the percentage of oil and gas production produced from sources in Slovakia has been slowly declining, inherent because of more than 100 years of activity, exploration and production in the country continues to be of much significance. Natural gas has become the most widespread fuel in the global energy mix and is contributing to the transition to clean energy. Once former underground storage facilities are converted, Slovakia will have achieved exceptional success in natural gas storage that would not have been possible without the adequate knowledge NAFTA gained while they were producing gas. The knowledge and experience gained by our employees from hydrocarbon exploration and production, the collection of very valuable information and data associated with NAFTA’s operations and its experience in the development of underground storage facilities will be a very valuable asset for it in the future.  Not in the least, this know-how is expanding with each new project and the specific expert sector likewise supports the construction of an educational economy and the development of future technologies, including green technologies such as storing energy in underground structures, and other projects such as using renewable geothermal energy and the storage of CO2 and hydrogen.

NAFTA’s main priority in everything we do is operational safety and minimizing the impact of our footprint on the environment and the impact on local communities.