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EMERALD RESOURCES NL — Capital/Financing Update 2008
Jun 29, 2008
64849_rns_2008-06-29_5cb0b2dd-8673-4d53-b8d3-ba661b00712f.pdf
Capital/Financing Update
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Level 2, 16 Altona Street West Perth WA 6005 Ph: +618 9482 0500 Fx: +618 9482 0505 Email: [email protected] www.emeraldoilandgas.com
30 June 2008
Centralised Company Announcements Platform Australian Stock Exchange 10[th] floor, 20 Bond Street Sydney NSW 2000
US PROJECTS UPDATE
APPALACHIAN BASIN GAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
(Emerald 80% Working interest, Operator: P&J Resources Inc.)
Four Kentucky Wells Hooked up to Production
Emerald is pleased to report that four of the six wells that the Company purchased in Magoffin County, Kentucky have now been hooked up to production. The average production flow rate per well is estimated at 80,000 cubic feet per day. These wells have not been fractured stimulated (“fraced”). Emerald plans to monitor production rates then proceed with a frac program in the coming months. Fracture stimulation should result in significantly enhanced production rates from these wells. Two additional wells will be hooked up for production this week.
Emerald is pleased to have progressed to producer status at its Appalachian Basin Project so rapidly since signing the Drilling and Operating Agreement with P&J Resources two months ago. Emerald plans to seek to expand its production base as quickly as possible through drilling and acquisition to take advantage of the current high energy price environment. Recent Henry Hub gas prices in this region exceeded US$13 / Mcf with gas sales from the Appalachian project region attracting a premium through a high BTU content and close proximity to markets.
Myrtle Crum #4 well, Wayne County West Virginia
Drilling report as at 4.00pm US time, June 29, 2008.
Current Activity:
Current depth 1,600 feet. Cemented 7 inch casing.
Future Plans: Drilling ahead to primary objective Big Six sandstone towards total depth of 5,500 feet.
Avanti Drilling Funding Agreement
Further to previous announcements Emerald is still in discussions with Florida based investment fund Avanti Corp LLC in relation to providing funding of up to
US$25 million for the Appalachian Gas Development project, following the expiry of the 60 day exclusivity period on 27 June US time.
Emerald is also currently in discussions with a number of other parties in relation to various funding alternatives. Emerald notes that the economics of the project have significantly improved due to the high current and projected gas prices making retention of a higher equity in the project by Emerald a more attractive proposition.
Further reports will be provided as soon as these funding initiatives crystallise.
GREENBUSH PROSPECT, WARD & RENVILLE COUNTIES, NORTH DAKOTA (Emerald 15% Working interest, Operator: Golden Eye Resources Inc.)
Drilling report as at 8.00am US time, June 29, 2008.
Current Activity:
Current depth 5,501 feet drilling ahead.
Future Plans:
Drilling ahead to secondary objectives Sherwood/Mohall formation at 5,900 feet and Bakken formation at 7,000 feet.
Emerald Interest:
Emerald has a 15% working interest in this prospect.
For more information please contact:
Emerald Oil & Gas NL
Tel: +618 9482 0510
JOHN HANNAFORD Executive Director – Finance [email protected]
BOB BERVEN
Executive Director – Technical [email protected]
About the Appalachian Gas Development Project
Emerald announced on April 30, 2008 that it had entered into a Drilling and Operating Agreement to develop two 45,000 acre lease areas in eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia. Under the agreement Emerald will earn an 80% working interest in a 4000 foot radius spacing unit for each well drilled for 100% of the drilling costs of each well. Both acreage areas have significant potential for infill drilling on 40 acre spacing, as well as several productive horizons.
The Appalachian Valley is USA’s oldest oil and gas producing area. Recent discoveries in the Marcellus Shale have now focused renewed exploration activity on the region. Combined with high gas prices, extensive infrastructure, enhanced drilling and completion techniques the area now offers extensive upside potential and compelling economics.
About the Greenbush Project
Drilling activity in the Bakken Shale has recently significantly increased in North Dakota. On April 10, 2008 the United Sates Geological Survey (USGS) released a report estimating that
recoverable oil “resources” from the Bakken within the USA portion of the Williston Basin could reach 3.65 billion barrels.
The significance of the above mentioned “deep” test on the Greenbush acreage is that it will evaluate the fractured, oil-bearing Bakken Shale which overlies the Devonian pinnacle reef. The Bakken is a prolific oil producer to the south and west in North Dakota and Montana and to the North in Saskatchewan, Canada. Recent lease acquisition activity and horizontal well drilling indicates that the Bakken oil play is moving eastwards towards Greenbush Prospect.
Emerald and Partners currently control some 8700+ acres at Greenbush Prospect. This represents some seven (7) 1280 acre spacing units under the above Bakken development scenario presented by Hess Corp for horizontal wells. The potential recoverable resource numbers within the Bakken at Greenbush has been estimated at 4.5+million barrels of oil and 5.5+Bcf gas. These are very significant potential resource numbers given the current record prices for both oil and gas in the USA. The key geological parameters to encountering “Fractured Bakken” is proximity to major structures such as faults, folds, drape over basement or reefal highs, differential compaction, etc. The Greenbush Prospect has a number of favourable structural elements that could help increase Bakken productivity due to enhanced fracturing. They can be better defined by the 3-D seismic data which was acquired over the Greenbush block some twelve months ago.
About Emerald Oil & Gas NL
Emerald Oil & Gas NL (ASX: EMR) was listed on the ASX in June 2006, raising $4 million. Emerald is an oil and gas exploration and production company with project interests in Kentucky, West Virginia, North Dakota and Texas in the USA and in the Canning Basin of Western Australia. Emerald’s focus is on both conventional and non-conventional reservoir targets for oil and gas prospects. Its primary objective is to achieve near term production and cashflow to build shareholder value and provide funds to fuel further growth. Emerald’s strategy is to take modest but meaningful positions in low risk exploration projects that can be swiftly brought into production.
Information in this announcement pertaining to exploration potential was compiled by Robert Berven, Emerald Oil & Gas NL’s Technical Director who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists CPG # 2498.
Statements regarding Emerald’s plans with respect to its petroleum properties are forwardlooking statements. There can be no assurance that Emerald’s plans for development of its petroleum properties will proceed as currently expected. There can be no assurance that Emerald will be able to confirm the presence of additional petroleum deposits, that any discovery will prove to be economic or that an oil or gas field will successfully be developed on any of Emerald’s petroleum properties.