Last checked at 5 Dec 2018 09:30
Block Energy Plc / Index: AIM / Epic: BLOE.L / Sector: Oil and Gas
5 December 2018
Block Energy Plc ("the Company", "Block" or "the Group")
Publication of Research Note
Block Energy Plc, the exploration and production company focused on the Republic of Georgia, is pleased to announce the publication of an analyst report by Novum Securities Ltd. A copy of the report can be found on the Company's website at http://www.blockenergy.co.uk/investors/company-reports/.
**ENDS**
For further information visit www.blockenergy.co.uk or contact:
Paul Haywood Chief Executive Officer | Block Energy Plc | Tel: +44 (0) 20 3053 3631 |
Neil Baldwin (Nominated Adviser) | Spark Advisory Partners Limited | Tel: +44 (0) 203 368 3554 |
Craig Fraser (Joint Corporate Broker) | Baden Hill, a trading name of Northland Capital Partners ltd. | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7933 8731 |
Colin Rowbury (Joint Corporate Broker) | Novum Securities Ltd | Tel: +44 (0)207 399 9427 |
Frank Buhagiar / Juliet Earl (Financial PR) | St Brides Partners Ltd | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Notes:
Block Energy (BLOE.L) is an AIM quoted oil and gas company with a growing portfolio of production, development and exploration assets in the Republic of Georgia. Block holds a 100% Working Interest ('WI') in the producing Norio licence, a 90% WI in the producing Satskhenisi licence and a 25% WI in the West Rustavi licence with the right to farm-in to up to a 75% WI. Block's three licences lie in the heart of the Schlumberger's 100% held position in the Kura basin, which at its peak produced ~70,000 barrels of oil per day ('bopd') in Georgia and is estimated to hold over 7 billion barrels of proven reserves in Azerbaijan and North Caucasus (Russia).
The licences currently hold estimated net proven oil reserves of 1.5 million barrels plus 61 million barrels unrisked contingent oil resources ('2C'). Furthermore, the West Rustavi permit has estimated gross unrisked contingent gas resources (2C) of 608 BCF. Multiple gas discoveries have already been made in the Lower Eocence and Upper Cretaceous within the Licence and lie on trend with the same play currently being targeted by Schlumberger on neighbouring licence, Block XIb. The estimated cost of gas development and production at West Rustavi is c.US$2.00/Mcf which equates to operating netbacks of c.US$2.6/Mcf (assuming a 75% working interest) - Georgia currently purchases its gas for c.US$5.5 /Mcf (c.US$600m project value to the Company). Appraisal of the West Rustavi gas discovery is due to take place in H1 2019.
Appraisal of West Rustavi gas prospects is expected to be conducted contemporaneously with the rehabilitation of the producing Norio (100% WI) and Satskhenisi fields (90% WI) which provide immediate production uplift on commencement of field operations in Q1 2019. The near-term target is to raise production to 900 bopd from 15 bopd within 18 months via a low cost, low risk workover and sidetrack programme, and then to utilise cash flow from production to drill new horizontal wells and sidetracks to raise production to c.2,000 bopd over the medium term. Oil production across the fields offer excellent netbacks, with the current cost of production of c.US$25 per barrel providing netbacks of c. US$30-35 per barrel.