OREANDA-NEWS. June 07, 2011. Tethys Petroleum Limited ("Tethys" or the "Company") (TSX: TPL) announced that the AKD03 (Dione) exploration well has tested oil from the Cretaceous interval, the uppermost pay zone in the well, reported the press-centre of KASE.

This interval, a sandstone of Middle Cretaceous (Albian) age at 1,630 metres (5,346 feet), tested 40 degrees API oil (slightly heavier than the oil in the Doris discovery) from a 6 metre (20 feet) normally pressured sand with a log porosity of some 22%. However the previous injection of drilling fluids and related chemicals to safely stabilise the well for drilling deeper has resulted insignificant formation damage which has resulted in minor flow to date on the initial test from the damaged formation.

The Company is looking to source additional equipment that would involve by passing this formation damage and achieving production from the unaffected part of the reservoir. Currently such equipment is not available and as such operations have been suspended until the required equipment is sourced and delivered, this is likely to be in August 2011.