Last checked at 17 Oct 2016 07:00
Stellar Resources plc
("Stellar" or the "Company")
Horse Hill-1 Oil Discovery, Weald Basin, UK
Planning Application for Significant Appraisal Programme, UK Weald Basin
Stellar Resources PLC (LSE AIM: STG) announces that Horse Hill Developments Ltd ("HHDL") has informed the Company that a planning application has been submitted to Surrey County Council seeking permission to conduct further significant appraisal testing and drilling at the Horse Hill-1 ("HH-1") oil discovery, located in Licence PEDL137, close to Gatwick Airport. The HH-1 oil discovery achieved an aggregate stabilised flow rate of 1688 bopd from two Kimmeridge limestones plus the overlying Portland sandstone. The Company holds a 6.5% interest in PEDL137.
Subject to the required regulatory approvals, the first phase of the proposed development is planned to consist of the extended production testing of four zones, designed to confirm the commerciality of the discovery, and to examine a previously untested Kimmeridge limestone. The planning application also seeks permission for a two-well drilling phase, which contingent upon successful testing, will further appraise the extent of the oil accumulations and the field's production capabilities. The proposed drilling phase includes plans for a deviated sidetrack, HH-1z, to be drilled from the existing HH-1 borehole, together with a new well, Horse Hill-2 ("HH-2"). On completion of drilling, both the HH-1z and HH-2 are planned to be long-term production tested.
In order to minimise impact to the locality, feedback from both a public consultation and engagement process, undertaken in July, and subsequent meetings with local residents' representatives, was incorporated into the envisaged development design and planning application. The normal local planning authority cycle for an application not requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment such as at Horse Hill, takes approximately 13 weeks.
HHDL and the Company's Interest in the Licence
HHDL is a special purpose vehicle, which owns a 65% working interest and operatorship of the Licence. Stellar owns a 10% beneficial shareholding in HHDL, which equates to a 6.5% net working interest in the Licences. The remaining 35% interest in the Licences is held by Magellan Petroleum (UK) Limited.
Qualified Person's Statement
Stephen Sanderson, UK Oil & Gas Investment plc's Executive Chairman, who has over 35 years of relevant experience in the oil industry, has approved the information contained in this announcement. Mr Sanderson is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and is an active member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
For further information please contact:
Stellar Resources plc: | +44 (0) 20 7440 0640 |
Alastair Clayton | |
Nominated Adviser: | +44 (0) 20 7148 7900 |
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP | |
James Caithie / Sandy Jamieson | |
Broker: | +44 (0) 20 3137 1902 |
Optiva Securities Limited | |
Christian Dennis / Jeremy King | |
Public Relations: | +44 (0) 20 7929 5599 |
Square1 Consulting | |
David Bick |
Glossary:
discovery | a discovery is a petroleum accumulation for which one or several exploratory wells have established through testing, sampling and/or logging the existence of a significant quantity of potentially moveable hydrocarbons |
extended production test | a flow test, or extended well test as per the permission granted by the Oil and Gas Authority, with an aggregate flow period duration over all zones of greater than 96 hours and up to 90 days maximum |
sidetrack | re-entry of a well from the well's surface location with drilling equipment for the purpose of deviating from the existing well bore to achieve production or well data from an alternative zone or bottom hole location, or to remedy an engineering problem encountered in the existing well bore. |