Virtus Oil and Gas Corp’s drilling permit for the Lone Pine 34-11-5 initial test well in southern Utah was approved by the state's Bureau of Land Management, the company said Aug. 24.

Lone Pine will be drilled to 7,000 feet total vertical depth in August. Drilling will take about a week, and an additional 12 to 15 days will be required to complete the initial test well after drilling operations conclude.

The well is scheduled to be spudded on Aug. 25, Virtus said. The time it will take to complete the well depends on results of the cuttings and potential oil shows from the Jurassic-age zones. The company targets the Central Utah Thrust Belt in the Parowan project, which is more than 55,477 acres.

Rupert Ireland, CEO, said that two years of work went into establishing the land position and conducting geological and geophysical studies.

Steven Plumb, CFO, added that the authority for expenditures to drill the well is complete.

Energy Drilling’s Rig 8 will drill Lone Pine, said Bret Murray, COO. Energy Drilling will also build the well pad.

Virtus Oil and Gas Corp. is based in Houston.