JAPEX to Conduct Exploratory Drilling in the Offshore Hidaka Area of Hokkaido

The study is expected to be conducted in 2026, between March and May.

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Japan Petroleum Exploration Company Limited (JAPEX), a hydrocarbon exploration, production, and transportation company with its headquarters located in Tokyo, Japan, has announced that it intends to carry out exploratory drilling in order to verify the existence of natural gas in the offshore Hidaka area of Hokkaido and investigate the potential for future development of the area.

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The drilling will be carried out at a location approximately 5 kilometres northwest of the location where exploratory drilling operations were conducted almost five years before, at a water depth of approximately 1,070 metres. In addition to data collection, JAPEX plans to do a production test on the geological formation in addition to gathering data. The study is expected to be conducted in 2026, between March and May.

It should be mentioned that JAPEX had been evaluating the data from the 2019 drilling activities commissioned by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (ANRE).

The project has been selected as a subsidized project by ANRE. Nearly half of the drilling expenses would be covered by public funds.

The project will be executed with the utmost attention on safety, the company stated, in cooperation with local governments and organizations.