AIM-listed Sound Oil has received approval from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development for the San Lorenzo production concession.

The approval of the onshore Italian concession located in the Marche region permits the company to start commissioning operations at the Casa Tiberi gas field.

In 2011, a discovery well was completed from a single zone and tested at 1.3 million cubic feet of gas per day.

Commercial gas is expected the middle of the year.

Sound Oil chief executive James Parsons said that whilst this was one of the company’s smaller assets, it would add to the company’s near-term production and revenue.

“Operations on site are expected to commence in April, once construction of the production skid is complete,” he said.