Rockpool Acqui Regulatory News (ROC)

9 Aug 2005 07:40

Roc Oil Company Limited09 August 2005 9 August 2005 ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ("ROC") STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE MAURITANIA OFFSHORE DRILLING UPDATE ROC advises that the following release was made earlier today by WoodsidePetroleum Ltd: "Woodside Mauritania Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Woodside PetroleumLtd., reports the following activity offshore Mauritania. PSC Area A Sotto-1 Exploration Well Following upgrade work, the 'Stena Tay' drill rig returned to Mauritanian waterson 27 July 2005 and resumed work on Chinguetti Development wells prior tocommencing the 2005 exploration drilling program. The Sotto-1 Exploration Wellwas spudded on 6 August 2005 in approximately 320 metres of water and drillingcontinued to 1,146 metres. At midnight on 8 August 2005, 13-3/8 inch casing wasbeing run prior to drilling to the planned total depth of approximately 3,350metres. Chinguetti Development Drilling and Banda Gas Injector Well The 'West Navigator' drillship continues to perform completion work onChinguetti Development wells. As part of the Chinguetti Development Well programa gas injection well has been drilled into the Banda field. This well iscurrently being tested by the 'West Navigator' drill ship and the well test isprogressing as planned. The well has flowed gas at the rate of 32mmscf/d througha 52/64 inch choke, at a surface flowing pressure of 2866 psi during the mainflow period. Testing is continuing with a reduced flow rate period for samplingand production logging. Gas produced in association with the Chinguetti oil production, in excess of theChinguetti field requirements will be injected and stored in the Banda gasreservoir. Woodside does not plan to issue regular announcements regarding operations onChinguetti development wells, but will do so if necessary to comply with itscontinuous disclosure obligations under the ASX Listing Rules. All reported drilling depths are referenced to the rig rotary table and alltimes are Universal Time (UTC) (Mauritanian time). The locations of Sotto-1, the Chinguetti Oil Field, the Tiof and Bandadiscoveries are shown on the attached map*. Wells are expected to be drilled in three production sharing contract areasduring the remainder of the 2005 campaign." Participating Interests in the Chinguetti Joint Venture and those areas are: +------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+| Company | Chinguetti | PSC-A | PSC-B | PSC-C, || | Joint | | | Block 6 || | Venture | | | |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Woodside group companies | 47.38448% | 53.846% | 53.846% | 37.578% ||(Operator) | | | | |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Hardman group companies | 19.00800% | 24.3% | 21.6% | 22.422% |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Groupe Project Chinguetti | 12.00000% | -- | -- | -- |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|BG group companies | 10.23440% | 13.084% | 11.63% | -- |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Premier group companies | 8.12328% | -- | 9.231% | -- |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Roc Oil group companies | 3.24984% | 4.155% | 3.693% | 5.0% |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Fusion group companies | -- | 4. 615% | -- | -- |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+|Petronas Carigali Overseas Sdn| -- | -- | -- | 35.0% ||Bhd | | | | |+------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+ *Map attached to the copy of this release on ROC's website(http://www.rocoil.com.au/Pages/ASX_Releases/2005_Releases/August-2005.html) Michelle Manook For further information please contact:General Manager - Corporate Affairs Dr John Doran on Tel: +61-2-8356-2000 Fax: +61-2-9380-2635 Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange