After reporting the world's 10th largest discovery of oil and gas in Algeria last year, Irish exploration firm Petroceltic has announced further drilling projects in Italy, Tunisia and Algeria for 2010.

PETROCELTIC INTERNATIONAL, the oil and gas explorer, has won approval for its Isarene permit in Algeria to enter the next two-year exploration phase and said initial results are “encouraging”.

Petroceltic has signed a contract with Great Wall Drilling Company (Tunisia) to provide the GW 92 land drilling rig for Petroceltic's forthcoming Sidi Toui 3 Well in the Ksar Hadada Permit Area in southern Tunisia.