Trillion Energy International Inc. announced that it has identified several additional opportunities to increase production at the SASB gas field during 2023 by adding three side-track wells to its development program. The total number of wells now contemplated in the SASB development program has increased from seventeen (17) to twenty (20). Eleven of these well operations are anticipated to occur during 2023, which will result in rapidly increased quantities of natural gas production during the year.

Side-track wells and workovers take relatively less time than long reach directional wells (10-30 days vs 45-48 days for a new drill), thus, allowing for an increase in the number of planned wells for 2023. The side-tracks cost about $3 million less per well than long reach directional wells as they utilize a large section of an existing well bore where a "window" is then milled out from the existing casing to create the new well. The South Akcakoca well was successfully drilled as a side-track during 2022.

The opportunity for the additional three side-track wells arose using experience gained from the successful recompletion of initial wells drilled during 2022 as well as other geological works. Production volume, log evaluations, perforation intervals and gas production behavior has now been evaluated to calculate the estimated remaining gas reserves in the East Ayazli Gas field and Akkaya Gas field. The company anticipates similar production volumes from the added sidetracks compared to other new wells planned in the drilling program.