The latest from Rigzone.com: Exploration News:

• Petrobras Strikes Oil, Natural Gas in Amazon Forest
  Petrobras said it has discovered a new accumulation of oil and natural gas in a remote region of the Amazon rainforest.

• Searcher Seismic Kicks Off AU Mariner Project
  Searcher Seismic Pty Ltd announced that the Mariner 2D Seismic Project has commenced.

• President Petroleum Spuds 2nd Argentina Well
  President announced the spudding of its second well, DP-1001, at the Dos Puntitas field on its Puesto Guardian concession, Argentina.

• Lundin Spins Bit at Johan Sverdrup Appraisal Offshore Norway
  Lundin Petroleum announced that drilling of the appraisal well 16/2-11 on the Johan Sverdrup PL501 discovery has commenced.

• Kea Selects Rig for Taranaki Well Program
  Kea Petroleum plc announced the selection of Drillforce's Rig 1 for a 2 + 1 (optional) well program.

• Harvest Natural to Abandon Oman AGN-1 Well
  Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. announced that the Al Ghubar North-1 (AGN-1) exploration well onshore Oman will be plugged and abandoned with gas shows.

• Gulf Keystone Cleared for Algeria Stake Sale
  Gulf Keystone announced that all required documentation has been executed and all necessary Govt approvals obtained for the transfer of the Company's right, title and interest for no consideration in the Hassi Ba Hamou (HBH) Permit.

• Wentworth Drills New Exploration Well at Mnazi Bay, Tanzania
  The well is the first new well to be drilled in Mnazi Bay since 2007.

• Americas Petrogas Reaches TD at Argentina Well
  Americas Petrogas announced that its Los Toldos Este vertical well has reached total depth ("TD") of approximately 3,250 meters.

• Breitling Begins Drilling at Tx. Well
  Breitling has spud the Breitling-Limelight #1 on January 28, 2012 in Hardeman County, Texas.

• Source: Repsol Begins Deep-Water Exploration Drilling Off Cuba
  Repsol YPF has begun offshore drilling in Cuban waters as part of its global exploration operations, said a person familiar with the situation.

• Polarcus Secures Second Seismic Proj. Offshore Greenland
  Polarcus Limited has received a Letter of Intent from Shell Kanumas A/S for a seismic acquisition project offshore Greenland.

• Buccaneer Energy Adds 25% Stake in Alaska Project
  Buccaneer Energy has executed a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the acquisition of the two main productive leases in the former Cosmopolitan Unit (Cosmo) from Pioneer Natural Resources.

• Nautical Petroleum to Take Stake in North Sea Block
  Nautical Petroleum plc has entered into an agreement with First Oil Expro Limited to acquire a 25 percent interest in UK Petroleum Exploration and Development License P1756, North Sea Block 3/27a.

• PetroChina Buys 20% Stake in Shell's Groundbirch Shale Asset
  PetroChina said it has completed the acquisition of a 20% stake in Shell's 100%-owned land and assets in Groundbirch, in northeastern British Columbia.

• PetroNova All Smiles over Colombia Oil Find
  PetroNova Inc. announced an oil discovery at its Puerto Gaitan 1 exploratory well located on the CPO-06 Block in Colombia's Llanos Basin.

• Wintershall Spuds Maria Appraisal in Norwegian Sea
  Wintershall has spudded the Maria appraisal well in the Norwegian Sea using semisub Borgland Dolphin.

• Octanex Updates Western Australia Exploration Activity
  Santos Ltd. has entered an agreement for jackup Ensco 109 to drill the farm-in obligation well in the Winchester prospect in permit area WA-323-P, reported Octanex N.L.

• Japan's Firm Launches O&G Exploration in Cambodia
  JOGMEC started the seismic acquisition operation for oil and gas exploration in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, said a government official.

• Mediterranean O&G: Guendalina Gas Reserves Upgraded 42%
  Italian gas field now holds 2P recoverable reserves estimated at 31.2 billion cubic feet.