Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. has completed exploratory drilling in the offshore Hidaka area of Hokkaido, confirming natural gas in part of the reservoir. However, the confirmed volume does not meet the criteria for immediate commercialization.
The drilling campaign started on 24 March 2026 and was completed on 10 June 2026. The work was carried out using the Valaris 8504 rig to verify the presence of natural gas in the area.
The operation followed exploratory drilling conducted in the same area in 2019. The latest well was drilled about 5 km northwest of the earlier location, around 50 km offshore, in a water depth of 1,070 m.
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. drilled to a depth of 1,900 m with cooperation from the local community, including the fishing industry and local government.
The company said reservoir testing confirmed natural gas in part of the zone where indications had been identified during drilling. It also acquired geological data for further evaluation.
The project was selected by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a subsidized project under the FY2024 domestic oil and natural gas geological survey program.
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. will analyze and evaluate the data to consider whether the area may offer future exploration and development potential.
