Notice of application for an exploration licence

Italian Republic - Region of Sicily

Industry council - Regional Mining Department

Regional Office for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy (URIG)

(2002/C 79/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 8 November 2001, Panther Resources Corporation, with registered office at Houston, Texas, USA, 1021, Main Street, Suite 1290, and a branch office at Palermo c/o Avv. Nicola Piazza, Via Libertà 39, submitted an application under Sicilian Regional Law No 14 of 3 July 2000, for a licence to explore for oil and gas in the area conventionally known as "Fiume Tellaro", extending over some 740 km2, in the municipalities of Chiaramonte Gulfi, Comiso, Giarratana, Modica, Monterosso Almo and Ragusa in the Province of Ragusa; Avola, Buscemi, Noto and Rosolini in the Province of Siracusa; and Caltagirone, Grammichele, Licodia Eubea, Mazzarrone and Vizzini in the Province of Catania.

The perimeter of the area for which the licence is requested is delineated by straight lines joining points A and B, B and C, C and D, D and E, E and F, F and G, G and H, H and I, I and J', J' and J, J and K, K and L, L and M, M and N, N and O, O and P, P and Q, Q and R, R and S, S and T, T and U, U and V, V and A as defined below.

Panther Resources licence notice:

A. Vertex situated at the foot of a hill at the milestone indicating km 36 + 400 on the S.S. 124 road from Grammichele to Siracusa, just after the Grammichele exit;

B. Vertex situated at the summit of the Cozzo Sarpellitta, at altitude 518 metres above sea-level, at the centre thereof;

C. Vertex situated in the built-up area of Monterosso Almo at the intersection of Viale Giovanni XXIII and Via Mercato;

D. Vertex situated at the centre of the tracks leading to the Bonelli property, near the point situated at 712 metres above sea-level at the foot of Monte Erbesso;

E. Vertex at the votive altar situated near the fork leading to the hermitage of S. Maria della Provvidenza;

F. Vertex at the beginning of the little path leading to the top of the hill and the Mammanelli property;

G. Trigonometric vertex known as "Colonna Pizzuta"; this vertex is on the straight line which joins vertices L and M of the Rosolini 11 licence;

H. Vertex coinciding with vertex B of the Noto concession: corresponding to the W corner of the house situated at the highest point of the Cozzo Inferno (87 metres above sea-level) and ENE of the first tunnel on the railway S. Paolo-Noto (sheet 321 of the Municipality of Noto);

I. Vertex coinciding with vertex A of the Noto concession: corresponding to the SE corner of the house situated to the south of those in the chalk quarry NNE of Case S. Loppina (sheet 277 of the Municipality of Noto);

J'. Vertex coinciding with vertex F of the Rosolini II concession: corresponding to the SW corner of the northern building of the Masseria Valenti wall complex;

J. Vertex situated at the beginning of the little path leading to the Pizzittulla De Leva property; that vertex is situated in the SE extension of the straight line BC of the vertices relating to the Rosolini II licence;

K. Vertex coinciding with vertex B of the Rosolini II licence: corresponding to the northern angle of the house situated the most northerly of those situated at altitude 485 metres and east of C. da Cruscia;

L. Vertex coinciding with vertex B of the Ragusa concession: made up of a limestone pillar at the ESE corner of the Gianpiccolo property situated at 369 metres above sea-level in C. da Sanfilippo;

M. Vertex coinciding with vertex C of the Comiso II concession: made up of a cement pillar at the end of the wall delimiting access to parcel 29 of cadastral sheet 35 of the Municipality of Ragusa Ibla. That vertex is situated between vertices A and B of the Ragusa concession;

N. Vertex coinciding with vertex B of the Comiso II concession: made up of a cement pillar at the southern wall of the pit at altitude 671 metres above sea-level in C. da Donna Fiurella;

O. Vertex coinciding with vertex A of the Comiso II concession: made up of a cement pillar at the SE angle of the house in C. da Cava di Modica;

P. Vertex coinciding with vertex D of the Comiso II concession: made up of a cement pillar at the SE angle of the crossroads between s.p. Annunziata-Passo Lavandaio and s.c. Pirato;

Q. Vertex coinciding with vertex I of the Ragusa concession: made up of a limestone pillar at the NW edge of the Annunziata property situated at altitude 636 metres above sea-level;

R. Vertex coinciding with vertex D of the Tresauro prospecting licence: pillar at km 2 of the roadway in C. da Cilena;

S. Vertex coinciding with vertex C of the Tresauro prospecting licence: situated at the northern edge of Cascina Sulsenti, circa 70 metres north of the crossroads at altitude 459 metres above sea-level;

T. Vertex at km 9 + 300 of the S.P.3 road, at the beginning of the road leading to the Gafà property;

U. Vertex to the east of the house at altitude 332 metres above sea-level, between Conventazzo and Case Intorrella;

V. Vertex situated at the centre of the crossroads in Piano Cropi, near the point at altitude 451 metres above sea-level.

Geographical coordinates

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The application documents have been deposited at the Regional Office for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy of the Regional Mining Department at 87, Via C. Camilliani, I-90145 Palermo, where they may be consulted by any interested party.

This notice will be published in the Official Gazette of the Region of Sicily, in the Official Journal of the European Communities and, for 15 consecutive days, on the official notice-boards of the municipalities concerned.

During such time as the notice is posted on the official notice-boards, objections may be lodged with the mayors of the municipalities concerned. They may also be lodged, both during and after the 15-day period, with the aforementioned Office of the Regional Mining Department.