Positive RNS29 Mar 2023 12:16
From RNS 23rd Mar
"The Company anticipates the primary and secondary target zones to be intersected within the next two weeks, before determining whether to drill ahead to the tertiary target and reaching permitted Total Depth"
and .................................
From todays RNS
"Given the results in the primary SMD targets, and to preserve borehole condition (in-line with previous commentary around well execution strategy), the decision has been made to TD after drilling through the secondary SFS and BFF reservoir targets but prior to the smaller and lower priority tertiary Kuparuk ( KUP ) reservoir target. The KUP target at Project Phoenix is planned to be assessed at a later date, subsequent to the proposed flow testing of the Hickory-1 exploration well which is scheduled for the 2023 / 24 Alaskan winter operational season."
M thoughts .........
So they were only going to decide on whether drill to the KUP target and TD after intersecting the primary and secondary zones. However, they have already made the decision to continue to TD after only intersecting the primary zones (enough evidence already?). Now they will not advance on to the lower priority KUP until the PROPOSED flow testing scheduled for later in the year. Sounds to me like they have already made some very positive sounding decisions.
Also, they still have to intersect the BFF target which although has less chance of success at 50% compared to SMD (A,B,C,) at 81%, it had double the mean Prospective Oil Reserves.
Thoughts anyone .....
GLA SR