COMPLETION OF DRILLING AT MSD-23 WELL, WEST GHARIB

RNS Number : 5726S

SDX Energy PLC

15 July 2022

 

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY SDX TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UK LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 ("MAR"). ON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE ("RIS"), THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

15 July 2022

SDX ENERGY PLC ("SDX", the "Company" or the "Group")

COMPLETION OF DRILLING AT MSD-23 WELL, WEST GHARIB CONCESSION EGYPT

SDX Energy Plc (AIM: SDX), the MENA-focused energy company, is pleased to announce the completion of drilling at the MSD-23 infill development well on the Meseda field in its West Gharib concession, Egypt (SDX: 50% working interest). MSD-23 encountered the primary top Asl Formation reservoir at 3,909 feet MD (3,112 feet TVDSS) and reached a TD of 4,449 feet MD on 10 July. The well encountered 131.5 feet of good-quality, net oil pay sandstone, with an average porosity of 24.1% in the Asl Formation reservoir. The net pay was split across 3 separate sand units, with the upper-most sand covering 7 feet of net pay with 27.4% porosity. This upper oil-bearing sand is at virgin pressure meaning that it has not been depleted by any surrounding wells and it also represents an unanticipated upside as it was not included in pre-drill estimates.  MSD-23 will now be tied-in to the existing facilities and flow tested.

MSD-23 is the fifth well in a fully funded, 13-well development campaign on the Meseda and Rabul oil fields in the West Gharib concession, Egyptian Eastern Desert. Operations at the third well, MSD-20, are expected to recommence later this month following the replacement of a rig which had experienced operational issues. The development drilling campaign is aimed at growing  gross production to c.3,500 - 4,000 bbl/d by early 2023.

The rig will now move to the next well in the campaign.

Mark Reid, CEO of SDX, commented:

"The logs from MSD-23 indicate an excellent result with the virgin pressure upper sand of particular interest. The well will now be connected to our infrastructure and flow tested and we will update the market on the results of this in the coming weeks. With MSD-23 coming online we expect to increase gross production to 2,300 - 2,400 bbl/d and we are anticipating further increasing production through the completion of operations at MSD-20 and the drilling of the eight remaining wells in the campaign over the next year. I look forward to updating the market further as the campaign progresses."

About SDX

SDX is an international oil and gas exploration, production, and development company, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with a principal focus on MENA. In Egypt, SDX has a working interest in two producing assets: a 36.9% operated interest in the South Disouq and Ibn Yunus gas fields and a 67.0% operated interest in the Ibn Yunus North gas field in the Nile Delta and a 50% non-operated interest in the West Gharib concession, which is located onshore in the Eastern Desert, adjacent to the Gulf of Suez. In Morocco, SDX has a 75% working interest in four development/production concessions, all situated in the Gharb Basin. The producing assets in Morocco are characterised by attractive gas prices and exceptionally low operating costs. SDX has a strong weighting of fixed price gas assets in its portfolio with low operating costs and attractive margins throughout, providing resilience in a low commodity price environment. SDX's portfolio also includes high impact exploration opportunities in both Egypt and Morocco.

For further information, please see the Company's website at www.sdxenergygroup.com or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com . 

Standard

Estimates of reserves and resources have been prepared in accordance with the June 2018 Society of Petroleum Engineers ("SPE") Petroleum Resources Management System ("PRMS") as the standard for classification and reporting with an effective date of 31 December 2021 and in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

Competent Persons Statement

In accordance with the guidelines of the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange, the technical information contained in the announcement has been reviewed and approved by Dr Rob Cook, VP Subsurface of SDX. Dr. Cook has 30 years of oil and gas industry experience and is the qualified person as defined in the London Stock Exchange's Guidance Note for Mining and Oil and Gas companies. Dr. Cook holds a BSc in Geochemistry and a PhD in Sedimentology from the University of Reading, UK. He is a Chartered Geologist with the Geological Society of London (Geol Soc) and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG-11983) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG).

For further information:

SDX Energy Plc Mark Reid Chief Executive Officer Tel: [phone]
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker) Callum Stewart Jason Grossman Ashton Clanfield Tel: [phone]
Camarco (PR) Billy Clegg/Owen Roberts/Violet Wilson Tel: [phone]

Glossary

"bbl/d"	Barrels per day
"MD"	Measured depth
"TD"	Total depth
"TVDSS"	Total vertical depth sub-sea

Forward-looking information

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or are not statements of historical fact should be viewed as forward-looking information. In particular, statements regarding the future production, drilling developments and results at the West Gharib drilling campaign, and the time in which the Company intends to update the market on its future results should be regarded as forward-looking information.

The forward-looking information contained in this document is based on certain assumptions, and although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to them, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because SDX can give no assurances that they may prove to be correct. This includes, but is not limited to, assumptions related to, among other things, commodity prices and interest and foreign exchange rates; planned synergies, capital efficiencies and cost - savings; applicable tax laws; future production rates; receipt of necessary permits; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services.

All timing given in this announcement, unless stated otherwise, is indicative, and while the Company endeavours to provide accurate timing to the market, it cautions that, due to the nature of its operations and reliance on third parties, this is subject to change, often at little or no notice. If there is a delay or change to any of the timings indicated in this announcement, the Company shall update the market without delay.

Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks and uncertainties (both general and specific) that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward - looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, but are not limited to, political, social, and other risks inherent in daily operations for the Company, risks associated with the industries in which the Company operates, such as: operational risks; delays or changes in plans with respect to growth projects or capital expenditures; costs and expenses; health, safety and environmental risks; commodity price, interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; permitting risks; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws and environmental regulations. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive and are advised to refer to the Principal Risks & Uncertainties section of SDX's Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2021, which can be found on SDX's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com , for a description of additional risks and uncertainties associated with SDX's business.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is as of the date hereof and SDX does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward ‐ looking information, except as required by applicable law. The forward ‐ looking information contained herein is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Oil and Gas Advisory

Certain disclosures in this news release constitute "anticipated results" for the purposes of National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators because the disclosure in question may, in the opinion of a reasonable person, indicate the potential value or quantities of resources in respect of the Company's resources or a portion of its resources. Without limitation, the anticipated results disclosed in this news release include estimates of volume, flow rate, production rates, porosity, and pay thickness attributable to the resources of the Company. Such estimates have been prepared by Company management and have not been prepared or reviewed by an independent qualified reserves evaluator or auditor. Anticipated results are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including those described above and various geological, technical, operational, engineering, commercial, and technical risks. In addition, the geotechnical analysis and engineering to be conducted in respect of such resources is not complete. Such risks and uncertainties may cause the anticipated results disclosed herein to be inaccurate. Actual results may vary, perhaps materially.

Use of the term "MMscf" may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A "Mcf" conversion ratio of 1 bbl: 6 Mcf is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.

Prospective Resources Data

The prospective resources estimates disclosed or referenced herein have been prepared by Dr. Rob Cook, a qualified reserves evaluator, in accordance with the SPE's Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and in accordance with NI 51-101. The prospective resources disclosed herein have an effective date of 1 January 2022. Prospective resources are those quantities of gas, estimated as of the given date, to be potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations through future development projects. As prospective resources, there is no certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered. The chance that an exploration project will result in a discovery is referred to as the "chance of discovery" as defined by the management of the Company.

There is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources discussed herein; though any discovery that is commercially viable would be tied back to the Company's pipeline in Morocco and then connected to customers' facilities within 9 to 12 months of discovery. Based upon the economic analysis undertaken on any discovery, management has attributed an associated chance of development of 100%.

There are uncertainties associated with the volume estimates of the prospective resources disclosed herein, due to the level of information available on prospective resources, but ranges are defined based on data from the Company's nearby existing analogous wells. Some of the risks and uncertainties are outlined below:

· Petrophysical parameters of the sand/reservoir;

· Fluid composition, especially heavy end hydrocarbons;

· Accurate estimation of reservoir conditions (pressure and temperature);

· Reservoir drive mechanism;

· Potential well deliverability; and

· The thickness and lateral extent of the reservoir section, currently based on 3D seismic data.

 

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