Production Update: Zhao Dong
Roc Oil Company Limited
30 November 2007
30 November 2007
ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ('ROC')
STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE
PRODUCTION UPDATE: ZHAO DONG BLOCK,
BOHAI BAY, OFFSHORE CHINA
Key Points
• A recent production increase at the C & D Oil Fields in the Zhao Dong Block,
Bohai Bay, offshore China, has seen gross oil production rise to 25,000 barrels
of oil per day ('BOPD') from mid-year production levels which were in the high
teens.
• This lift in production coincides with a record realised oil price of
approximately US$81/BBL and a shipment of 306,000 barrels net ROC in late
November.
ROC, on behalf of its wholly-owned subsidiary Roc Oil (Bohai) Company, which has
a 24.5% operated interest in the Zhao Dong Block in the Bohai Bay, offshore
China, is pleased to provide the following production and drilling progress
report regarding the C and D Oil Fields.
• The 2007 Zhao Dong drilling programme began in April and is scheduled to
finish in early December when the last well, a water injector, will be
drilled. The total programme comprises 13 wells consisting of 11 oil
producers and two water injectors.
• The four most recent producers, all completed since mid-September, have
boosted gross production to the current level of 25,000 BOPD. This rate
compares with quarterly production averages of 21,000 BOPD, 18,700 BOPD and
17,320 BOPD for the first, second and third quarters of 2007, respectively.
The current expectation is that Zhao Dong production will exit 2007 at a
rate in excess of the 22,000 BOPD 2006 exit rate.
• This recent lift in production coincides with a record realised oil
price of approximately US$81/BBL and a 306,000 BBL ROC shipment on 24
November, 2007. The November price represents a 62% improvement on the year
low realised price of approximately US$50/BBL in February 2007.
• Total 2007 gross production for Zhao Dong is expected to be in the order
of 7.2 MMBO, representing an average of 19,700 BOPD (ROC net: 4,800 BOPD).
This is 22% less than the gross production target set by ROC at the
beginning of the year which was identified at the time as being ambitious.
The 2007 production shortfall, which has been reported previously, mainly
relates to the underperformance of four wells which did not meet
expectations due to reservoir and geological complexities, some of which are
now better understood, as well as other producing wells which experienced
minor mechanical difficulties which have largely been resolved. The overall
revenue impact of this underperformance has been offset to some extent by
the oil price strengthening referred to above.
• Typically, the seven successful producers drilled during 2007, all of
which either met or, in the case of the most recent wells, largely exceeded,
original expectations and pay out quickly, sometimes within three weeks.
Commenting on the drilling and production results, ROC's CEO John Doran stated
that:
' The recent uptick in production is hard won and warmly welcomed. It keeps
ROC's current company-wide production comfortably above the 10,000 - 12,000 BOPD
previously quoted target range.
• ROC's basic business plan for Zhao Dong was to treat the C and D Oil Fields
as well factories: keep drilling costs under control, during a period of rampant
industry inflation and focus on well profitability in the context of a full
drilling season - and that is exactly what happened. The first five producers
completed this year effectively paid out the costs associated with the entire
2007 programme leaving the wells completed most recently and the pre-2007
producers notionally free of operating costs.
• Concurrent with the 2007 drilling activity in the C and D Oil Fields work
continued on the expansion of those facilities and also on new facilities for
the C4 Oil Field Development.'
In accordance with ASX and AIM Rules, the information in this Release has been
reviewed and approved by Dr John Doran, Chief Executive Officer, Roc Oil Company
Limited, BSc (Hons) Geology, MSc and PhD. Dr Doran, who is a member of the
Society of Petroleum Engineers, has more than 30 years relevant experience
within the industry and consents to the information in the form and context in
which it appears.
Damian Fisher
General Manager
External Affairs & Investor Relations
For further information please contact:
Dr John Doran on
Tel: +61-2-8356-2000
Fax: +61-2-9380-2635
Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au
Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au
Dr Kevin Hird
General Manager - Business Development
Tel: +44 (0)20 7495 5707/+61 (0)2 8356 2000
Mob: +44 (0)7751 3671 49/+61 (0)417 261 727
Email: khird@rocoil.com.au
Michael Shaw
Oriel Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser)
Tel: +44 (0)20 7710 7600
Bobby Morse
Buchanan Communications
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7466 5000
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7466 5001
E-Mail: bobbym@buchanan.uk.com
Mob: +44 (0)7802 875 227
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange