Highlands Natural Resources Regulatory News (HNR)

22 Aug 2006 07:01

Tullow Oil PLC22 August 2006 News release Tullow Oil Plc - Mputa Well Test Update 22 August 2006 - Hardman Resources, the operator of the Mputa well test inUganda, in which Tullow Oil Plc (Tullow) is a 50% partner, today issued thefollowing press release. Uganda: Mputa-1 Flow Test update (Block 2) Hardman Resources Limited ("Hardman") provides the following update on its flowtesting and exploration drilling operations: Hardman has completed a successful testing campaign at the Mputa-1 discoverywell. Since our last announcement on 15 August, the upper sand interval has nowbeen tested on natural flow. Results from both zones tested are summarisedbelow: Test Perforated Interval Choke Flow Rate Oil Quality (metres) (bopd) o API Lower Sand Zone (DST 2) 1,118.0 - 1,126.0 32/64" 300 32Upper Sand Zone (DST 3) 966.5 - 974.5 40/64" 820 33 TOTAL 1,120 The test results prove not only that the oil at Mputa is mobile, but also thatthe reservoir sands are capable of producing dry oil under natural flow atpotentially commercial rates. The latter aspect is particularly significant,given that the Mputa reservoirs are at shallower depth, and are hence at lowerpressure and temperature than the corresponding reservoir units at Waraga. Thispositive test result therefore expands the operating envelope over which typicalWaraga and Mputa crudes (32 degrees API) can be produced and eliminates pre-testconcerns over oil viscosity and fluid properties at these shallower depths. Although laboratory confirmation is still awaited, the gravity of all oil flowedat Mputa is similar to that found in the lower units of the Waraga-1 well and islikely to be of similar origin. The Mputa-1 well is located 220 kilometresnorthwest of the Ugandan capital Kampala and 8 kilometres from the shore of LakeAlbert. The Waraga-1 well is located 19 kilometres to the northeast of Mputa-1. This concludes the testing programme at Mputa-1. The well is presently beingsuspended and the rig and test crew are being stood down. Initial guidance onvolumes will be included in the company's Half Yearly Report on 29 August 2006. Equities in Block 2 are: Block 2 Hardman Petroleum Africa Pty Ltd (Operator) 50.0%Tullow Oil 50.0% Times and dates for Ugandan wells refer to Uganda time (GMT+3 hours), five hoursbehind Western Standard Time (Perth). For further information contact: Tullow Oil plc Citigate Dewe Rogerson Murray Consultants(+44 20 8996 1000) (+44 20 7638 9571) (+353 1 498 0300)Tom Hickey Martin Jackson Joe MurrayAngus McCoss Notes to Editors Tullow is a leading independent oil & gas, exploration and production group,quoted on the London and Irish Stock Exchanges (symbol: TLW) and is aconstituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The Group has interests in approximately 90exploration and production licences in 15 countries and focuses on three coreareas: NW Europe, Africa and South Asia. Tullow's NW Europe interests are primarily focused on gas in the UK SouthernNorth Sea where it has significant interests in the Caister-Murdoch System andthe Thames/Hewett areas and operates over 60% of its production. In Africa, Tullow has production and exploration in Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo(Brazzaville) and Equatorial Guinea and a large gas field development andappraisal programme in Namibia. Tullow also has exploration programmes inMauritania, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, Madagascar and Angola. In South Asia, Tullow has production and exploration interests in Pakistan andBangladesh and high impact exploration activities in India. For further information please refer to our website at www.tullowoil.com ENDS This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange