13 Feb 2009 13:00
Bankers Petroleum Announces 2008 Reserves Report
Proved Reserves Increase by 29% and Proved plus Probable by 24%
CALGARY, Feb. 13 /CNW/ - Bankers Petroleum Ltd. (the "Company") is pleased to provide the results of its December 31, 2008, independent reserves evaluation. Evaluations were conducted by RPS Energy Canada Ltd. ("RPS") for the Patos Marinza Field, Albania and by DeGolyer and McNaughton Canada Ltd. ("D&M") for the Ku§ova Field, Albania and were prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities.
Total Albania Reserves Summary - Proved reserves ("1P") of 63 million barrels (29% increase from December 31, 2007 after production of 2.1 million barrels in 2008); - Proved plus probable reserves ("2P") of 179 million barrels (24% increase from December 31, 2007 after 2008 production) and - Proved, probable and possible reserves ("3P") of 302 million barrels (27% increase from December 31, 2007 after 2008 production). Patos Marinza Field - 1P reserves increased 24% to 60 million barrels of oil from 49 million barrels at December 31, 2007 after 2008 production, representing a 6 times proved reserves replacement ratio; - 2P reserves increased 17% to 169 million barrels (December 31, 2007 - 145 million barrels) - 3P reserves increased 12% to 267 million barrels (December 31, 2007 - 238 million barrels) - Mean original oil in place resource estimate increased 140% to 4.7 billion barrels - The reserves growth is primarily attributable to increased resource levels, improved well performance and the Company's 2008 vertical and horizontal development drilling success. This is reflected in the upgrade of 2P and 3P reserves into 1P and 2P reserves category, respectively, and the expansion of the 3P reserves; and - All of Patos Marinza's 2008 reserves estimates are from primary recovery methods. Ku§ova Field - 1P reserves 2.4 million barrels; - 2P reserves 10.1 million barrels; - 3P reserves 35.5 million barrels; - Original oil in place resource estimate is 297 million barrels; - Ku§ova reserves increased slightly from the interim September, 2008 report to reflect revised capital programs and D&M's January 1, 2009 pricing forecast. There was no Company production from the Ku§ova field in 2008 and only minor field activities were performed since the September, 2008 report; and - Full interest in the Ku§ova asset was acquired in 2008 and no reserves were quantified for Ku§ova in the 2007 year end reserves volumes reported by the Company. Total Net Present Value of Total Albania Reserves (After Tax, discounted at 10%) - 1P reserves US$233 million; - 2P reserves US$1,008 million; - 3P reserves US$1,541 million; - Values are based on RPS (Patos Marinza) and D&M (Ku§ova) January 1, 2009 price forecast tables summarized below; and - Basic number of shares outstanding of 182,540,181 as of December 31, 2008. Finding and Development Costs ("F&D")
While overall capital expenditures numbers have not been finalized for 2008, current capital cost estimates at about US$62 million represent the following F&D costs for 2008 by category:
- 1P reserves US$4.46 per barrel; - 2P reserves US$1.80 per barrel; and - 3P reserves US$0.97 per barrel. Summary of Oil and Gas Reserves Forecast Prices and Costs - After Income Taxes ------------------------------------- Total Total PATOS MARINZA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- Gross(Mbbl) Gross(Mbbl) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 19,500.0 13,986.0 39% Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 40,700.0 36,821.0 11% ------------------------------------- Total Proved 60,200.0 50,807.0 18% Probable 109,000.0 96,248.0 13% ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 169,200.0 147,055.0 15% Possible 97,900.0 93,505.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 267,100.0 240,560.0 11% ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- NPV(at)10% NPV(at)10% Total Total PATOS MARINZA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- $ mm $ mm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 101.0 93.4 8% Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 116.0 137.2 -15% ------------------------------------- Total Proved 217.0 230.6 -6% Probable 672.0 489.5 37% ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 889.0 720.1 23% Possible 379.0 289.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 1,268.0 1,009.2 26% ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Total Total KU‡OVA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- Gross(Mbbl) Gross(Mbbl) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 0.0 0.0 - Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 2,400.0 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved 2,400.0 0.0 - Probable 7,683.0 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 10,083.0 0.0 - Possible 25,443.0 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 35,526.0 0.0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- NPV(at)10% NPV(at)10% Total Total KU‡OVA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- $ mm $ mm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 0.0 0.0 - Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 16.4 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved 16.4 0.0 - Probable 102.3 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 118.7 0.0 - Possible 153.9 0.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 272.6 0.0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Total Total TOTAL ALBANIA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- Gross(Mbbl) Gross(Mbbl) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 19,500.0 13,986.0 39% Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 43,100.0 36,821.0 17% ------------------------------------- Total Proved 62,600.0 50,807.0 23% Probable 116,683.0 96,248.0 21% ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 179,283.0 147,055.0 22% Possible 123,343.0 93,505.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 302,626.0 240,560.0 26% ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- NPV(at)10% NPV(at)10% Total Total TOTAL ALBANIA 2008 2007 % Change ------------------------------------- $ mm $ mm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 101.0 93.4 8% Developed Non-Producing 0.0 0.0 - Undeveloped 132.4 137.2 -3% ------------------------------------- Total Proved 233.4 230.6 1% Probable 774.3 489.5 58% ------------------------------------- Total Proved Plus Probable 1,007.7 720.1 40% Possible 532.9 289.0 - ------------------------------------- Total Proved, Probable & Possible 1,540.6 1,009.1 53% ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Price Forecasts -------------------------------------------------- RPS D&M BRENT PRICE Brent Price Forecast Brent Price Forecast FORECAST (January 1st, 2009) (January 1st, 2009) -------------------------------------------------- US$/bbl US$/bbl Year ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2009 $55.00 $55.50 2010 $68.00 $68.03 2011 $78.00 $74.88 2012 $83.00 $85.49 2013 $86.00 $93.24 2014 $88.33 $95.61 2015 $90.09 $98.04 2016 $91.89 $100.53 2017 $93.73 $103.08 2018 $95.61 $105.69 2019 $97.52 $108.38 2020 $99.47 $111.12 2021 $101.46 $113.90 2022 $103.49 $116.75 2023 $105.56 $119.66 2024 $107.67 $122.66 2025 + 2.0% per annum + 2.5% per annum ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Field gate prices the Company is receiving in Albania are currently at a discount to Brent: - Patos Marinza field gate price is approximately 55% of Brent; - Ku§ova field gate price is approximately 60% of Brent Shareholder Information
The reserve data in this release is subject to and should be read in conjunction with the entire Form 51-101F1 - Statement of Reserves Data and Other Oil and Gas Information. The Form 51-101F1, Form 51-101F2 - Report of Independent Qualified Reserves Evaluator, and Form 51-101F3 - Report of Management and Directors on Oil and Gas Disclosure are expected to be filed with Canadian securities regulators on or before March 15, 2009. At which time these filings can be accessed electronically on Bankers website. On February 13 Bankers website will be updated to include the February Corporate Presentation at www.bankerspetroleum.com or on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-looking Information
Information in this news release respecting matters such as the expected future production levels from wells, future prices and netback, work plans, anticipated total oil recovery of the Patos Marinza and Ku§ova oil fields constitute forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Company.
Exploration for oil is a speculative business that involves a high degree of risk. The Company's expectations for its Albanian operations and plans are subject to a number of risks in addition to those inherent in oil production operations, including: that Brent oil prices could fall resulting in reduced returns and a change in the economics of the project; availability of financing; delays associated with equipment procurement, equipment failure and the lack of suitably qualified personnel; the inherent uncertainty in the estimation of reserves; exports from Albania being disrupted due to unplanned disruptions; and changes in the political or economic environment.
Production and netback forecasts are based on a number of assumptions including that the rate and cost of well takeovers, well reactivations and well recompletions of the past will continue and success rates will be similar to those rates experienced for previous well recompletions/reactivations/development; that further wells taken over and recompleted will produce at rates similar to the average rate of production achieved from wells recompletions/reactivations/development in the past; continued availability of the necessary equipment, personnel and financial resources to sustain the Company's planned work program; continued political and economic stability in Albania; approval of the Addendum to the Plan of Development; the existence of reserves as expected; the continued release by Albpetrol of areas and wells pursuant to the Plan of Development and Addendum; the absence of unplanned disruptions; the ability of the Company to successfully drill new wells and bring production to market; and general risks inherent in oil and gas operations.
Forward-looking statements and information are based on assumptions that financing, equipment and personnel will be available when required and on reasonable terms, none of which are assured and are subject to a number of other risks and uncertainties described under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis, which are available on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information and forward looking statements.
Review by Qualified Person
This release was reviewed by Abdel F. (Abby) Badwi, CEO of Bankers Petroleum Ltd., who is a "qualified person" under the rules and policies of AIM in his role with the Company and due to his training as a professional petroleum geologist (member of APEGGA) with over 39 years experience in domestic and international oil and gas operations.
About Bankers Petroleum Ltd.
Bankers Petroleum Ltd. is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration and production company focused on developing large oil and gas reserves. In Albania, Bankers operates and has the full rights to develop both the Patos Marinza and the Ku§ova heavy oil fields. Bankers' shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the AIM Market in London, England under the stock symbol BNK.
For further information: Abby Badwi, President and Chief Executive Officer, (403) 513-2694; Doug Urch, VP, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, (403) 513-2691, Email: investorrelations(at)bankerspetroleum.com, Website: www.bankerspetroleum.com; AIM NOMAD: Canaccord Adams Limited, Ryan Gaffney, Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor, +44 20 7050 6500; AIM JOINT BROKERS: Canaccord Adams Limited, Ryan Gaffney, Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor, +44 20 7050 6500; Tristone Capital Ltd., Nick Morgan, +44 20 7355 5800 (BNK)
vendor