Extension of OPL 310 Licence

RNS Number : 4333L

Lekoil Limited

06 September 2019

 

6 September 2019

LEKOIL Limited 

("LEKOIL" or the "Company")

Extension of OPL 310 Licence

LEKOIL (AIM: LEK), the Africa-focused oil and gas exploration, development and production company, is pleased to announce that pursuant to a letter dated 4 September 2019, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has approved the extension of OPL 310's ("the Block") exploration licence for three (3) years, subject to the holders of the licence paying an extension fee of US$7.5m ("Extension") within 90 days effective from 2 August 2019.  The Company expects to fund 100 per cent of the licence fee from a mix of existing financial resources and a Potential Funding Partner as previously announced on 30 August 2019.

Both Optimum Petroleum Development Company ("Optimum") and LEKOIL Nigeria Limited¹ (acting through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mayfair Assets and Trust Limited) have agreed to progress the appraisal of the Block and subsequent conversion to an Oil Mining Licence ("OML") at the end of the exploration period, as soon as practicable. Following a successful appraisal, a full field development ("FFD") programme will be undertaken for which, LEKOIL and Optimum are in advanced discussions with a Potential Funding Partner.

Lekan Akinyanmi, LEKOIL's CEO, commented,

"We are pleased to be working efficiently with Optimum and the Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources to ensure timely approvals for our upcoming drilling and work programme(s) and we now look forward to unlocking significant value from the asset for all stakeholders, who we thank for their continued patience and support through this prolonged process."

¹ LEKOIL Limited is entitled to 90% of the economic benefits related to LEKOIL Nigeria Limited's operations and net assets based on the terms of agreements under which the entity was established. 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014.  Upon the publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

For further information, please visit www.lekoil.com or contact:

LEKOIL Limited Alfred Castaneda, Investor Relations	[phone]
Strand Hanson Limited (Financial & Nominated Adviser) James Spinney / Ritchie Balmer / Eric Allan	[phone]
Mirabaud Securities Limited (Joint Broker) Peter Krens / Edward Haig-Thomas	[phone] / [phone]
Numis Securities Limited (Joint Broker) John Prior / Emily Morris	[phone]
Tavistock (Financial PR) Simon Hudson / Barney Hayward / Charles Vivian	[phone]

 

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