Otakikpo CPR

RNS Number : 3161S

Lekoil Limited

23 September 2014

 



23 September 2014

Lekoil Limited

("Lekoil" or the "Company")

Competent Persons Report on Otakikpo Marginal Field

Significant upgrade to resources estimates

Lekoil (AIM: LEK), the oil and gas exploration and development company with a focus on Nigeria and West Africa, announces a significant upgrade to 2C oil reserves estimates for Lekoil Nigeria's 40 per cent. participating interest and economic interest in the Otakikpo Marginal Field ("Otakikpo") in oil mining lease (OML) 11, offshore Nigeria, adjacent to shoreline in the eastern part of the Niger Delta.  The Company holds 90 per cent. of the economic interests in Lekoil Nigeria.

AGR TRACS International Ltd ("AGR TRACS") carried out a comprehensive review of the surface and subsurface data provided by Lekoil.  Following the review, AGR TRACS reported that the gross unrisked 2C Contingent Resources for Otakikpo were estimated to be 56.75 mmbbl.  This compares to the 36 mmbbl of gross oil resources in the most recent 2C resource estimates available at the time of the Company's acquisition of the interest in Otakikpo in May 2014 through Lekoil Nigeria's wholly owned subsidiary Lekoil Oil and Gas Investments Limited.

Economic evaluations were also carried out by AGR TRACS, in respect of Lekoil's estimated net resources, under US$80, US$100 and US$120 oil price scenarios for the economic life of the field, which indicate that the planned development of Otakikpo is a robust project under all three oil price scenarios.

In addition, Stock Tank Oil Initially In Place (STOIIP) ranges have been estimated by AGR TRACS for four exploration prospects within the onshore part of the Otakikpo acreage and, in total, these are estimated (on a P50, unrisked basis) to contain potential gross aggregate Oil in Place volumes of 162.8 mmbbl.  The Company also believes that additional prospectivity exists in the southern (shallow water) portion of the acreage which will be defined by further studies and appraisal in due course.

The consideration for the acquisition of Lekoil's interest in Otakikpo comprised a signature bonus of US$7 million and, contingent on production and ministerial consent, a production bonus of US$4 million.  In addition, Lekoil will fund costs to first oil and be entitled to recover this expenditure preferentially from 88 per cent. of production cash flow from Otakikpo.

Lekan Akinyanmi, Lekoil's CEO, said, "As the Technical & Financial Partner, we are very pleased that AGR TRAC's review has confirmed our initial view of the attractiveness of the Otakikpo project.  This CPR increases estimated unrisked oil resources net to Lekoil by over 45% and has reinforced the economics of the development.  This is a robust project that will provide us with near term production, cash flow and exploration upside as we continue to pursue our wider goal of becoming a much larger, Africa-focused E&P company."

The full CPR is available on the Company's web site.

Review by qualified person:

Samuel Olotu, Executive Vice President, Technical and technical expert for the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained within this announcement in his capacity as a qualified person under the AIM Rules.  Mr. Olotu holds a BSc degree in Geology and an MSc in Geophysics from the University of Ibadan, and has over 20 years' experience in the oil and gas industry (ranging from asset management, field development, reservoir management and seismic data processing and interpretation) in Nigeria, Europe, Middle-East and Asia. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the National Association of Petroleum Explorationists and the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society.

For further information, please visit www.lekoil.comor contact:

Lekoil Limited Dave Robinson, Chief Financial Officer	[phone]
Strand Hanson Limited  (Financial Adviser & Nominated Adviser) James Harris / James Spinney / Ritchie Balmer	[phone]
Mirabaud Securities LLP (Joint Corporate Broker)
Peter Krens Edward Haig-Thomas	[phone] [phone]
Tavistock Communications (Financial PR) Simon Hudson / Ed Portman	[phone]

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