Report for Quarter 31/12/05
Roc Oil Company Limited
31 January 2006
ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED
(ABN 32 075 965 856)
REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS
Activities for the Quarter Ended 31 December 2005
CEO COMMENT
The Quarter and subsequent month were characterised by two main events. ROC's
four field development projects adhered to schedule and the Company repositioned
itself within the UK and Australian investment communities through a very
successful share placement driven by a greatly accelerated exploration
programme, onshore Angola.
KEY POINTS
DEVELOPMENT
• The Cliff Head Oil Field Development, offshore Western Australia,
remained on schedule for first production during 1Q 2006. The overall budget
increased to $265 million due to an additional well being drilled to access
approximately one million barrels of additional reserves, and increases in
costs caused by operational and weather delays, mechanical revisions and
rising industry costs of materials and services.
• The Chinguetti Oil and Gas Field Development, offshore Mauritania, remained
on schedule for first production during 1Q 2006 and on revised budget.
• The Blane Oil Field and the Enoch Oil and Gas Field, both in the North Sea,
remain on schedule for first production during 4Q 2006.
EXPLORATION & APPRAISAL
• A total of five exploration wells (four offshore Mauritania and one offshore
Perth Basin) were drilled in the Quarter, with two wells finding
hydrocarbons in the Cretaceous exploration targets, offshore Mauritania. The
Tevet-2 ST1 exploration well, intersected a gross hydrocarbon-bearing
interval of 15m and a gross oil column of 6m while the Faucon-1 exploration
well found oil and/or gas condensate in the Cretaceous, in a previously
undrilled area, 140km south of the Chinguetti Field.
• The 3D and 2D seismic surveys in the Cabinda South Block, onshore Angola,
were completed. Interpretation of the data is expected to be finalised
within the first few months of 2006. The results to date are encouraging and
the first well is anticipated to begin drilling in September 2006.
FINANCIAL
• At Quarter end ROC had approximately $66 million in cash and no debt.
POST QUARTER
• In January 2006, ROC completed a placement to UK based institutional
investors of 28 million fully paid ordinary shares (14.9% of the Company's
then issued share capital) at a price of $2.71/£1.15, which raised $75.9
million/£32.2 million before expenses. The placement funds will be used to
accelerate ROC's exploration programme in the Cabinda South Block, onshore
Angola. The placement has also established a more liquid market for ROC's
shares in London. As at 31 January 2006, post receipt of the placement
funds, ROC had approximately $130 million in cash and no debt.
• ROC executed an agreement with TAG Oil (NZ) Ltd ('TAG') to divest its
interest in PEP 38767, in the onshore Taranaki Basin, New Zealand in return
for a 2% overriding royalty, subject to Government approval. TAG will assume
the current obligation to drill a well.
1. PRODUCTION
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|OIL (BBL) |December '05|September '05|Change |
| | Quarter | Quarter | % |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|UK - Onshore Oil (Keddington) | 2,738| 3,132| -13%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Australia - Onshore Oil | 887| 63| 1308%|
|(Jingemia) | | | |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Total Production | 3,625| 3,195| 13%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
2. SALES REVENUE
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|(Unaudited) |December '05|September '05| Change |
| | Quarter |Quarter $'000| % |
| | $'000 | | |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|UK Oil Sales | 155| 221| -30%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Australia Oil Sales | 69| 8| 763%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Total Sales Revenue | 224| 229| -2%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
3. EXPENDITURE
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| |December '05|September '05| Change |
| |Quarter$'000|Quarter $'000| % |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Exploration | | | |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Australia | 4,812| 251| 1817%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| New Zealand | 63| 125| -50%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| UK | 1,139| 708| 61%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Mauritania | 2,683| 3,518| -24%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Angola | 5,085| 5,229| -3%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Equatorial Guinea | 68| 186| -63%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| China | 1,901| 350| 443%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Other | 379| 194| 95%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Total Exploration | 16,130| 10,561| 53%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Development | | | |
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Australia - Cliff Head | 28,911| 24,218| 19%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Mauritania - Chinguetti | 2,766| 6,440| -57%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| UK/Norway - Blane & Enoch | 8,595| 2,304| 273%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Total Development | 40,272| 32,962| 22%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|Total Exploration & Development | 56,402| 43,523| 30%|
+---------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
4. DRILLING
Cliff Head development drilling commenced in late December 2005. Well
completion activity concluded at the Chinguetti Development. Exploration and
appraisal drilling activity for the Quarter is summarised below:
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
| Category | Well | Location | Operator | Comment |
| | % Interest | | | |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
|Exploration|Tevet-2 ST1,|PSC Area B,|Woodside |The well intersected a |
| |3.693% |Offshore |Mauritania|gross oil column of |
| | |Mauritania |Pty Ltd |approximately 6m in the |
| | | | |Cretaceous exploration |
| | | | |objective and was plugged|
| | | | |and abandoned. |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
|Exploration|Flying |WA-327-P, |Roc Oil |The well encountered oil |
| |Foam-1, |Australia |(WA) Pty |shows in tight sands over|
| |37.5% | |Ltd |a gross 45m interval and |
| | | | |was plugged and |
| | | | |abandoned. |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
|Exploration|Labeidna-1, |PSC Area B,|Woodside |The well intersected a |
| |3.693% |Offshore |Mauritania|gross oil bearing |
| | |Mauritania |Pty Ltd |interval of 116m |
| | | | |comprising an interbedded|
| | | | |series of thin but high |
| | | | |quality sands and |
| | | | |claystones. |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
|Exploration|Faucon-1, |PSC Area D,|Dana |The well intersected 4m |
| |2.0% |Block 1, |Petroleum |thick gas-bearing |
| | |Offshore |(E&P) Ltd |sandstone approximately |
| | |Mauritania | |150m above a 40m thick |
| | | | |sandstone. The lower |
| | | | |sandstone has a 10m |
| | | | |interval at the top, |
| | | | |which appears to contain |
| | | | |light oil or liquids-rich|
| | | | |gas-condensate. |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
|Exploration|Zoule-1, |PSC Area C,|Woodside |Subsequent to the Quarter|
| |5.0% |Block 6, |Mauritania|the well was plugged and |
| | |Offshore |Pty Ltd |abandoned with no |
| | |Mauritania | |significant hydrocarbons |
| | | | |found. |
+-----------+------------+-----------+----------+-------------------------+
(See also Section 9: Post Quarter Events)
5. SEISMIC
+---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------+----------+
| Type | % Interest | Location | Operator | Size | |
| | | | | | Comment |
| | | | | | |
+---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------+----------+
|2D |60 |Onshore |Roc Oil |505km |Completed |
| |Working |Cabinda South|(Cabinda) | | |
| |interest |Block Angola |Company | | |
+---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------+----------+
|3D |60 |Onshore |Roc Oil |162sqkm |Completed |
| |Working |Cabinda South|(Cabinda) | | |
| |interest |Block Angola |Company | | |
+---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------+----------+
6. DEVELOPMENT
6.1 AUSTRALIA
Cliff Head Oil Field, WA-31-L, Offshore Western Australia (ROC: 37.5% &
Operator)
The Project remains on schedule for first oil production during 1Q 2006. The
Joint Venture announced that it had expanded the scope of the project to
include drilling an additional well at a cost of approximately $12.5 million
(ROC: $4.7 million), to access and produce an additional one million barrels
of oil which took the budget to $240 million. In January 2006, the Joint
Venture announced that the total project costs had increased to $265
million. (See also Section 9: Post Quarter Events)
During the Quarter the Project achieved the following milestones:
- Production licence WA-31-L was granted over the field on 27 October 2005.
- The jacket for Cliff Head 'A' platform was installed in late December
2005.
- Construction and pre-commissioning of the topsides for the Cliff Head 'A'
platform was successfully completed in Malaysia. Sail-away occurred early
January and the topside currently in Geraldton Harbour is awaiting
installation at Cliff Head.
- The Ensco-67 drilling rig commenced batch development drilling of the 12
1/4 inch hole sections of the five new production and two water injection
wells. Drilling and completion activity is expected to finish in early
April 2006.
- Construction of the onshore Arrowsmith Production Facility reached 85%
complete and commissioning work commenced.
- The Cliff Head oil sales contract was executed between BP and all the
parties to the Joint Venture under which all of the crude oil production
for the life of the field will be sold into BP's Kwinana Refinery.
6.2 WEST AFRICA
Offshore Mauritania - Chinguetti Oil & Gas Field (ROC: 3.25%)
The Project continues on schedule for first oil in late February 2006 and on
revised budget. The 'Berge Helene' FPSO arrived at the field from Singapore
and installation of subsea production facilities commenced. During January
2006, production flowlines were loaded out and installation has commenced.
6.3 NORTH SEA
Blane Oil Field (ROC: 12.5%)
The target first oil date remains on schedule for 4Q 2006, under the new
operator, Talisman Expro Limited ('Talisman'). The drilling rig, Global
Santa Fe's Glomar Arctic II is expected to commence drilling operations
during March 2006.
Enoch Oil and Gas Field (ROC: 12.0%)
First oil production remains on schedule for 4Q 2006, under the new
operator, Talisman, with development drilling planned to commence mid-2006.
6.4 CHINA
Wei 12-8 West Oil Field, Beibu Gulf, Block 22/12 (ROC: 40% & Operator)
Negotiations continued with the relevant government authorities regarding
the possible commercial development of the Wei 12-8 West Oil Field. There is
no guarantee of a positive outcome.
7. EXPLORATION AND APPRAISAL
7.1 AUSTRALIA
Perth Basin, Offshore Western Australia (ROC: 7.5 - 50% & Generally Operator)
The Flying Foam-1 exploration well in WA-327-P was drilled in November 2005.
The well encountered oil shows in tight sands over a gross 45m interval and
was plugged and abandoned.
Planning is in progress for a multi-well exploration drilling programme,
utilising the Ensco 67 jack-up drilling rig, which is scheduled to commence
in April 2006, following completion of the Cliff Head development drilling.
Carnarvon Basin, WA-351-P, Offshore Western Australia (ROC: 20%)
Planning continued for the Jacala-1 exploration well which is scheduled to
be drilled by the operator, BHP Billiton, in February 2006.
7.2 WEST AFRICA
Offshore Mauritania (ROC: 2.0 - 5.0%)
Exploration drilling in the Woodside-operated and Dana-operated areas
continued utilising the Stena Tay drilling vessel:
- After Tevet -2 confirmed gas and oil columns in the Miocene, Tevet-2 ST1
(PSC Area B ROC: 3.693%) was drilled through the Cretaceous exploration
target, intersecting a gross reservoir-bearing interval of 15m and a gross
oil column of 6m. While this hydrocarbon column is small and may not prove
to be material, the result is encouraging for future Cretaceous
exploration targets. The well was plugged and abandoned as planned.
- Labeidna-1 (PSC Area B ROC: 3.693%) was drilled in November and targeted
Miocene channel sands. The well intersected a gross oil-bearing interval
of 116m, comprising an interbedded series of claystones and thin but high
quality sands. The well was plugged and abandoned as a sub-commercial
discovery.
- Faucon-1 (PSC Area D, Block 1 ROC: 2.0%) was drilled in November-December,
approximately 140 km south of the Chinguetti Field. Hydrocarbon-bearing
sandstones were encountered within the main Cretaceous target zone. An
upper 4m thick sandstone is gas-bearing. A lower 40m thick sandstone has a
10m interval at the top which appears to contain light oil or liquids-rich
gas-condensate. Fluid sample analyses are underway to determine
composition of the hydrocarbon fluid. The well was plugged and abandoned
as a regionally significant, but sub-commercial discovery.
- Zoule-1 (PSC Area C, Block 6 ROC: 5.0%) commenced drilling in December.
(See also Section 9: Post Quarter Events)
During the Quarter, evaluation work by the Operator, Woodside, continued on
the geologically complex Tiof Oil Field.
Equatorial Guinea (ROC: 18.75% & Technical Manager)
Activity focussed on discussions with potential rig contractors regarding
drilling the Aleta Cretaceous channel sand prospect in 2006.
Angola (ROC: 60% & Operator)
The 2005 seismic acquisition program was completed in November 2005. A total
of 162sqkm 3D and 505km 2D data were acquired. Initial interpretation of the
results is encouraging. An aeromagnetic survey is planned for early 2006,
ahead of further seismic acquisition. Prospect evaluation of the 2005
seismic is in progress, with exploration drilling planned for September
2006, subject to rig availability.
7.3 UK ONSHORE (ROC: 100% & Operator)
Preparatory work continued for the drilling of the Willows-1 exploration
well in PEDL030 scheduled for March 2006.
7.4 CHINA - Beibu Gulf Block 22/12 - (ROC: 40% & Operator)
Exploration activity focussed on planning for the drilling of the Wei 6-12
South exploration well scheduled for March 2006.
8. CORPORATE
8.1 US$60 million Loan Facility and US$30 million Bridging Loan Facility
ROC progressed a $80 million/US$60 million Borrowing Base Loan Facility to
be applied to the funding of its 2006 development activities, in particular
the Cliff Head Oil Field and Chinguetti Oil and Gas Field Projects. In
addition, a $40 million/US$30 million Bridging Loan Facility is also being
finalised to provide flexibility of funding options during 2006, prior to
the Borrowing Base Loan Facility being available for drawdown.
8.2 Ardmore
The Administrative Receiver of Acorn North Sea Limited (In Receivership),
appointed by ROC, has recovered approximately $3 million of the total $11
million lent by ROC in early 2005. ROC does not expect any further material
amounts to be recovered.
9. POST QUARTER EVENTS
9.1 Share Placement
In January 2006, ROC placed 28 million fully paid ordinary shares (14.9% of
the Company's then issued share capital) at a price of $2.71/£1.15 per share
to raise $75.9 million/£32.2 million before expenses. The funds will be used
to accelerate ROC's exploration programme in the Cabinda South Block,
onshore Angola. The Placement, which was over-subscribed, will also
establish a more liquid market for ROC's shares in London.
9.2 Cliff Head Oil Field, WA-31-L, Offshore Western Australia (ROC: 37.5% &
Operator)
In January 2006, the Cliff Head Joint Venture announced an increase in
overall project costs of approximately $25 million (ca 10%) bringing the
total project cost to $265 million (net ROC: $99 million), as a result of
weather, operational and equipment delays, mechanical revisions and rising
industry costs of materials and services.
9.3 PEP 38767, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand (ROC: 40% & Operator)
ROC executed an agreement with TAG for the divestment of its interests in
return for a 2% overriding royalty, subject to Government approval. TAG will
assume the current obligation to drill a well.
9.4 Zoule-1 exploration well, PSC Area C, Block 6, Offshore Mauritania (ROC:
5.0%)
The well was drilled to total depth without encountering significant
hydrocarbons and was plugged and abandoned.
9.5 Dore-1 exploration well, PSC Area B, Offshore Mauritania (ROC: 3.693%)
The well was plugged and abandoned at a total depth of 2,266m without
encountering significant hydrocarbons.
9.6 Offshore Mauritania Drilling Contract
The Atwood Hunter drill rig has been contracted to Woodside (Operator) for
the offshore Mauritania 2006/2007 multi-well drilling programme and is due
to arrive in Mauritania 2Q 2006.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information please contact ROC's Chief Executive Officer, Dr
John Doran on:
Phone: (02) 8356 2000
Facsimile: (02) 9380 2066
Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au Web Site: www.rocoil.com.au
Address: Level 14, 1 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|definitions | |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|IFRS |means International Finance Reporting Standards |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BBL |means barrels |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BCF |means billion cubic feet |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BOE |means barrels of oil equivalent |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BOPD |means barrels of oil per day |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BOEPD |means barrels of oil equivalent per day |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BCPD |means barrels of condensate per day |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|BPD |means barrels per day |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|GWC |means gas-water contact |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|MCF |means thousand cubic feet |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|m brt |means metres below rotary table |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|mTVDSS |means metres true vertical depth below sea level |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|MMSCF |means million standard cubic feet |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|MMSCF/D |means million standard cubic feet per day |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|MMBO |means million barrels of oil |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|MMBOE |means million barrels of oil equivalent |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|NGL |means natural gas liquids |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|OWC |means oil-water contact |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|PEDL |means Petroleum Exploration Development Licence |
| |(Onshore United Kingdom) |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|PSC |means Production Sharing Contract |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|Quarter |means the period 1 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|ROC |means Roc Oil Company Limited and includes, where the |
| |context requires, its subsidiaries |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|SCF |means standard cubic feet |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|TCF |means trillion cubic feet |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|US$ |means US dollars |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|$ |means Australian dollars |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
This information is provided by RNS
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