Production Update
Gulfsands Petroleum PLC
18 December 2006
Gulfsands Petroleum plc
('Gulfsands' or 'the Company') and its Subsidiaries (together 'the Group')
Third Quarter USA Production Update
USA Daily Production at 2974 BOE
Increases in Daily Production Expected in H1 2007
London, 18th December, 2006: Gulfsands Petroleum plc (AIM: GPX), the oil and
gas production, exploration and development company with activities in the
U.S.A., Syria and Iraq is pleased to announce that current USA daily production
is approximately 2974 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day.
Production in the U.S.A. Gulf of Mexico and onshore Gulf Coast for the three
months ended 30 September 2006 totaled 225,995 boe (2,511 boepd) and for the
first nine months of 2006 was 599,695 boe (2,221 boepd). Net revenue interest
boe (working interest barrels less royalties) totaled 170,013 and 436,511
respectively for the three and nine month periods ended 30 September.
Approximately 60% of the daily production was in natural gas and for the nine
month period was priced at an average price of $6.28 per mcf, while 40% of the
daily production was oil which was priced at an average price of $63.19 per
barrel.
Gulfsands' current U.S.A. daily oil and gas production is approximately 2974
working interest boe per day. The Company is anticipating further increases in
daily production in the Gulf of Mexico over the coming months as new well
work-overs and recompletions are completed and those wells brought on stream.
The Company recently completed a work-over of a gas well in the East Cameron
area of the Gulf and this well is now on stream but currently rate restricted at
a gross production rate of approximately 0.5 million cubic feet of gas per day
due to limitations with third party infrastructure. However, it is anticipated
that this well will be capable of producing at rates far in excess of the
current producing rate once third party infrastructure under repair is back to
full capacity which is scheduled to occur within the next six months. Gulfsands
owns a 48% working interest in this well.
Capital expenditures in the U.S.A. for the first nine months totaled $9.5
million.
Gulfsands' CEO, John Dorrier, said:
'We are very pleased with progress made in the Gulf of Mexico so far this year.
Operations previously affected by post hurricane maintenance are now back on
track, allowing significant production increases.
With our field development work stimulating additional production growth, we
look forward to ending the year on record production levels and income
generation in the Gulf of Mexico. '
ABOUT GULFSANDS:
Gulf of Mexico, USA
The Company owns interests in 64 offshore blocks comprising approximately
216,000 gross acres which includes numerous producing oil and gas fields
offshore Texas and Louisiana with proved and probable recoverable reserves of
32.4 BCFGE, consisting of 19.8 BCFG and 2.1 MMBO. As of 1st January 2006 these
were estimated to have a net present value of $183 million. In addition, the
Company's 2.8 BCFGE of possible recoverable reserves were estimated to have a
net present value of $15.8 million.
Syria
Gulfsands owns a 50% working interest and is operator of Block 26 in North East
Syria. Block 26 covers 11,000 square kilometres and encompasses existing fields
which currently produce over 100,000 barrels of oil per day. These fields are
operated by third parties including the Syria Petroleum Company.
In January 2006 the Company completed the acquisition of 1,155 kilometres of 2D
seismic over Block 26 and following evaluation of this data, commenced drilling
of the Tigris-1 prospect on 10 September, 2006. The Tigris structure is
estimated to have the potential to contain in excess of 500 MMBOE. Gulfsands
has identified numerous exploration prospects and leads within Block 26 with
mean resources potential exceeding 1 billion barrels of recoverable oil.
Ryder Scott recently completed a reserves study on the Tigris structure (the
report is available on the Gulfsands' website at www.gulfsands.net) and pending
the Company's drilling and testing of the Tigris structure, classified these
reserves as either oil or gas bearing. Ryder Scott assessed Gulfsands' net
Probable Reserves were 102 BCFG and had a net present value of $233 million.
Assuming a primarily natural gas accumulation, Ryder Scott estimated Gulfsands
had an additional net 75 BCFG of possible reserves with a net present value of
$261 million. All reserve estimations for Syria were calculated using a discount
rate of 10% and after applying the terms of the Production Sharing Contract
after Syrian taxes.
The Company has completed its own economic evaluation on the Prospective Gas
Resource and has estimated the Company to have a net Prospective Gas Resource of
577 BCFG with a net present value of approximately $1.06 billion.
In summary, Gulfsands' total net gas reserves potential among Probable and
Possible Reserves for the natural gas case is estimated at 177 BCFG (30 MMBOE)
with a net present value of $494 million. When combined with the Prospective Gas
Resource for an aggregate 754 BCFG (126 MMBOE), the net present value of
Gulfsands' interest are estimated to be valued at approximately $1.55 billion.
Ryder Scott estimated that for a primarily oil accumulation, the Possible
Reserves net to Gulfsands are 19.4 million barrels of oil with a net present
value of $452 million. Gulfsands has completed its own economic evaluation on
the Prospective Oil Resource and has estimated its net Prospective Oil Resource
at 50.9 MMBO with a net present value of approximately $1.51 billion.
In summary Gulfsands total net oil reserves potential among Possible and
Prospective Oil Resource for the oil case is estimated at 70.3 MMBO with a net
present value of approximately $1.96 billion.
Iraq
Gulfsands signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2005 with the Ministry
of Oil in Iraq for the Misan Gas Project in Southern Iraq and following
completion of a feasibility study on the project, is currently negotiating
details of definitive contracts for this regionally important development. The
project will gather, process and transmit natural gas that is currently a waste
by-product of oil production and as a result of the present practice of gas
flaring, contributes to significant environmental damage in the region.
Onshore USA
Gulfsands operates onshore in the USA through its 100% owned subsidiary company
Darcy Energy LLC which owns interests in two oil and gas fields onshore Texas,
USA (34.375% working interest in Emily Hawes and 37.5% working interest in Barb
Mag) with proved and probable recoverable reserves net to Gulfsands at 1 January
2006 of 1.6 BCFGE, consisting of 1.2 BCFG and 58,000 barrels of oil with an
estimated net present value of $9.5 million. Additionally, these fields contain
a further 2.2 BCFGE of possible recoverable reserves net to Gulfsands with an
estimated net present value of $7.9 million.
Certain statements included herein constitute 'forward-looking statements'
within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. These forward-looking
statements are based on certain assumptions by Gulfsands and as such are not a
guarantee of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from
those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to factors
such as general economic and market conditions, increased costs of production or
a decline in oil and gas prices. Gulfsands is under no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.
For further information including the Company's recent investor presentation,
please refer to the Company's website www.gulfsands.net or contact:
Gulfsands Petroleum (Houston) + 1-713-626-9564
John Dorrier, Chief Executive Officer
David DeCort, Chief Financial Officer
Gulfsands Petroleum (London) 020-7182-4016
Kenneth Judge, Director of Corporate Development 07733-001-002
College Hill (London) 020-7457-2020
Nick Elwes
Paddy Blewer
Teather & Greenwood (London) 020-7426-9000
James Maxwell (Corporate Finance)
Tanya Clarke (Specialist Sales)
This information is provided by RNS
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