ShoreCan and Essar Mauritius to Extend Agreements

RNS Number : 1289D

Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd

26 October 2020

 

Canadian Overseas Petroleum
  ShoreCan and Essar Mauritius Agree to Extend Agreements

Calgary, Canada, London, United Kingdom; October 26, 2020   - Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited ("COPL" or the "Company") (XOP: CSE) & (COPL: LSE), an international oil and gas exploration and development company focused on sub-Sahara Africa,  is pleased to announce that its 50% owned joint venture company, Shoreline Canadian Overseas Petroleum Development Corporation Limited ("ShoreCan") and Essar Exploration & Production Limited (Mauritius) ("Essar Mauritius") have agreed to extend the completion date of the definitive agreements between the parties announced on August 4, 2020 to January 29, 2021.

On August 4^th, 2020, the Company announced that the shareholders of the Company's Nigerian Affiliate had executed definitive agreements to resolve their disputes. Completion of these agreements is subject to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ("NNPC") granting an extension of the exploration period under the OPL 226 PSC beyond 30^th September 2020.  The Nigerian Affiliate applied for this extension in early June 2020. COPL understands that COVID 19 restrictions pertaining to travel and "in person" meetings have created delays regarding the application within the NNPC and the Department of Petroleum Resources ("DPR").

Arthur Millholland, President and CEO, commented:

" ShoreCan and Essar Mauritius, the shareholders of COPL's Nigerian Affiliate, are engaged in the process to reach completion to the agreements announced on August 4^th. Face to face, or in person, meetings are required. We understand the entry requirements for foreign nationals may ease in the near term thus allowing for in-country face to face meetings which are a normal part of the process. As I have previously commented, the COVID 19 situation has caused governments globally to impose travel restrictions through their respective borders, as well as imposing restrictions on in person meetings to protect their organs of government and their citizens. When the green light is received, we and our partners will act as soon practical to arrange and continue these discussions. Once the terms of the extension of the OPL 226 are in hand, the Company's Nigerian Affiliate will determine an operational schedule going forward and the timing for its execution. " 

The Common Shares are listed under the symbol "XOP" on the CSE and under the symbol "COPL" on the London Stock Exchange.

About the Company:

The Company is actively pursuing opportunities in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with Shoreline Energy International Limited ("Shoreline") as part of its strategy to generate stable cash flow from secure offshore and onshore assets. The Company and Shoreline, through their jointly held affiliated company Shoreline Canadian Overseas Petroleum Development Corporation ("ShoreCan"), currently hold 80% of the share capital and have taken over the management of Essar Exploration and Production Limited (Nigeria) ("Nigerian Affiliate" or the "Affiliate"). On August 4, 2020 the Company announced that the shareholders of the Nigerian Affiliate had executed definitive agreements to resolve their disputes. Completion is ongoing, and when completed ShoreCan's shareholding in the Affiliate will change in accordance to the terms outlined in the Press Release. The Affiliate holds an attractive oil appraisal and development project in shallow to mid-water offshore Nigeria on its 100% holding in OPL 226. In other ventures, ShoreCan has been indicatively awarded an exploration license onshore Mozambique in the 5th Licensing Round adjacent to the producing Pande-Temane Gas and light oil field complex.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Arthur Millholland, President & CEO

Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited 

Tel: + 1 [phone]

Cathy Hume

CHF Investor Relations

Tel: [phone] ext. 231

Email: [e-mail]

Charles Goodwin

Yellow Jersey PR Limited

Tel: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "initial, "scheduled", "can", "will", "prior to", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "should", "forecast", "future", "continue", "may", "expect", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including, but not limited to, the ability to raise the necessary funding for operations, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements since the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties most of which are beyond the control of Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd. For example, the uncertainty of reserve estimates, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, cost overruns, health and safety issues, political and environmental risks, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, changes in legislation affecting the oil and gas industry could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information.  Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and Canadian Overseas Petroleum undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 

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