· Continued production from the Aje field of around 3,150 bopd (158bopd net to MXO)
· Completion on 9th lifting from Aje field in late November 2018 with total offtake of c. 315,000 bbls
· Joint venture anticipates that the next lifting will take place in the last week of February 2019
· Aje partnership has fully paid the $9.8m licence renewal fee thereby securing a 20 year extension of OML 113 (Aje field) licence
· RPS technical work now expected to conclude in Q1 2019 to support a decision on Aje Phase 2 development; targeting estimated gross production of 8-12,000 bopd
· Joint venture partners planning to undertake a flow assurance study, during Q1 2019, planned to be concluded by Schlumberger for potential modest increase in daily oil rate and meaningful reduction in operation expenditure
· Encouraging interest from potential project finance providers given the very stable oil production and potential significant near-term production upside
· Company has continued to maximise its cash positions through undertaking a full review of its operating cost base
· Monthly burn rate reduced by 66% compared to its 2018 position
Simon Gorringe, CEO of Andalas Energy & Power PLC said: “With the EGM resolutions passed, we can focus on the Colter South discovery and new opportunities for the Company. We believe that the market has undervalued the positive drill results at the Colter South discovery and the impact of the recently completed placing on the Company’s cash position. The conditional element of that placing can now complete. It will provide an additional cash injection at a time when the Company has no outstanding asset funding commitments.
Peru Onshore Peru Block XXI – El Barco 100% Interest
The Company’s previous focus was on its blocks in Peru but the very slow pace of approvals and the economic and technical challenges of deep-water exploration caused it to withdraw from offshore Block Z-34 at the end of 2017. Baron is now continuing work on its onshore Block XXI, in the Sechura Desert of northern Peru.
Baron is involved in discussions to find a new partner who would agree to pay the bulk of the estimated $1.9 million cost of the El Barco well in order to earn a substantial interest in Block XXI. If these discussions come to a successful conclusion is hoped this well can be drilled in early 2019 to a depth of 1850 metres to test low-risk sands in the Mancora Formation and higher-risk fractured Basement. Most Likely Prospective Resources for the low-risk Mancora Sand are estimated at 6.4 BCF recoverable. The high-risk fractured Basement is estimated to be capable of containing Most Likely Prospective Resources of 7 million barrels of recoverable oil, although the prospect may contain gas and could be part of a much larger structure.