Investment in West Africa

RNS Number : 9207Q
Solo Oil Plc
21 October 2013
 

21 October, 2013

Solo Oil plc

('Solo' or 'the Company')

Further Investment in West Africa

Solo is pleased to announce that it has signed a Sale Purchase Agreement ("SPA") to acquire an additional 4.9% shareholding in Swiss based Pan Minerals & Oil AG ("Pan Minerals") for a cash consideration of US$500,000. This brings the total investment into Pan Minerals to approximately £800,000 and increases Solo's direct equity interest in Pan Minerals from 15% to 19.9%.

As previously announced in May 2013, the purpose of Solo's investment in Pan Minerals is to assist in the financing agreements in order to progress Pan Mineral's operations onshore in West Africa.  Pan Minerals is a Special Purpose Vehicle company focused on acquiring (subject to financing) a farm-in interest in an onshore oil field which was most recently tested at over 2,000 bopd of sweet 20 degree API oil  from its discovery well.

Pan Minerals has invested nearly US$3.5 million to date in the pursuit of farm-ins on proven oil fields in West Africa and the Solo's additional investment will assist in the completion of these arrangements.  Once financing is in place Pan Minerals expects to conclude the farm-in arrangements and commence the recompletion of the discovery well and its tie-in to local oil export infrastructure.  Subsequent activities will include additional development wells and may potentially see the drilling for deeper exploration targets.

Neil Ritson, Solo's CEO, commented:

"As we noted previously Solo's Board is familiar with the onshore oil field being sought by Pan Minerals.  Given the progress made towards concluding finance for field development Solo has elected to increase its participation.  For commercial reasons, the details of the opportunities must remain confidential at this stage."

Competent Person's Statement:

The information contained in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by Neil Ritson, Chief Executive Officer and Director for Solo Oil Plc who has 35 years of relevant experience in the oil industry.  Mr Ritson is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, an Active Member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London.

For further information:

Solo Oil plc

David Lenigas

Neil Ritson

+44 (0) 20 7440 0642



Beaumont Cornish Limited

Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker

Roland Cornish

+44 (0) 20 7628 3396



Old Park Lane Capital Plc

Joint Broker

Michael Parnes

 

Shore Capital

Joint Broker

Pascal Keane

Jerry Keen (Corporate Broker)

 

Pelham Bell Pottinger                           

Public Relations

Mark Antelme

Henry Lerwill

 

+44(0) 20 7493 8188

 

 

 

 

+44 (0) 20 7408 4090

 

 

 

 

+44 (0) 20 7861 3232                          

 


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
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