9 Oct 2014 08:37
For immediate release: 9 October 2014
Zoltav Resources Inc.
("Zoltav" or the "Company")
Operational Update - Bortovoy Licence
Zoltav (AIM: ZOL), the CIS-focused oil and gas exploration and production company, provides an operational update regarding the Bortovoy Licence in the Saratov Oblast of the Russian Federation.
Zoltav's main priority since the acquisition of the Bortovoy Licence in June 2014 has been to restore the Western Gas Plant to its full average daily production capacity of 48.4 million cubic feet of gas per day ("mmcf/d"). Zoltav planned to achieve this by boosting current production on the Karpenskoye field (the current producer) with a series of workover operations and through the drilling of an infill well; as well as through the hooking-up the Zhdanovskoye field to the Western Gas Plant.
The Company is pleased to announce that work to bring the Zhdanovskoye field into production through the Western Gas Plant has progressed ahead of schedule. Well 102 and Well 8 commenced commercial gas production on 8 October 2014. The two wells have added an additional 8.8 mmcf/d of stabilized production. A third well on the Zhdanovskoye field (Well 30) is forecast to come on stream later this month, contributing further to production volumes. The issuance by the safety regulator (Rostechnadzor) of a temporary permit allowing production from the Zhdanovskoye field to commence while the full permit is pending has contributed to the field coming on stream earlier than anticipated. The full permit is expected before year-end in accordance with the original plan.
Well 102, which was drilled in 2008, and Wells 8 and 30, which were drilled during the 1970s, had not previously been put into production. The three well Zhdanovskoye hook-up project was commissioned by Zoltav shortly after the Company assumed managerial responsibility for the Bortovoy Licence.
In addition to bringing the Zhdanovskoye field into production, Zoltav is currently drilling an infill well (Well 100) on the Karpenskoye field (the main producer) which is also expected to come on stream later this month. This is expected to further increase output from the Karpenskoye field. By year-end the Company expects to be producing 46.2 mmcf/d of gas from the Western Gas Plant. The full plant capacity of 48.4 mmcf/d is expected to be achieved during the first quarter of 2015 once work-over operations on two wells on the Karpenskoye field have been completed.
Symon Drake-Brockman, Executive Chairman, commented:
"I am delighted to report the first significant operational milestone achieved since Zoltav's acquisition of the Bortovoy Licence completed in June 2014. In under five months of ownership we have brought a second gas field on the licence into commercial production thereby increasing daily gas output by approximately 20 per cent. This further evidences Zoltav's experience of operating efficiently and effectively in Russia."
Contacts:
Zoltav Resources Inc. | Tel. +44 (0)20 7016 9570 |
Symon Drake-Brockman, Executive Chairman | (via Vigo Communications) |
Shore Capital (Nomad and Broker) | Tel. +44 (0)20 7408 4090 |
Pascal Keane or Toby Gibbs (Corporate Finance) | |
Jerry Keen (Corporate Broking) | |
Vigo Communications | Tel. +44 (0)20 7016 9570 |
Patrick d'Ancona or Ben Simons | |
About Zoltav
Zoltav is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on acquiring assets in the CIS, particularly in the Russian Federation.
Zoltav holds the Bortovoy Licence in the Saratov region of South Western Russia, a 3,215 square kilometre area along the northern margin of the Pre-Caspian basin, one of the largest hydrocarbon basins in the CIS.
The Bortovoy Licence contains a number of productive gas fields, a processing plant and significant exploration prospectivity. It holds Proved plus Probable reserves of 750 billion cubic feet (21.2 billion cubic metres) of gas and 3.9 million barrels of oil and condensate. In 2013 the Bortovoy Licence produced 13.9 billion cubic feet (392.6 million cubic metres) of gas and 300,000 barrels of condensate and oil.
Zoltav also holds the Koltogor Exploration and Production Licence, a 528 square kilometre area in the Khantiy-Mansisk Autonomous Okrug of Western Siberia, one of Russian's most prolific oil producing regions.
The Koltogor Exploration and Production Licence contains the Koltogor oil field with Proved plus Probable reserves of 75.2 million barrels of oil. Zoltav is engaged in an appraisal programme of the Koltogor oil field with a view to developing the field for commercial production.
Additionally, Zoltav holds Koltogor Exploration Licence 10, a 167 square kilometre area due west of the Koltogor Exploration and Production Licence on which Zoltav is engaged in an exploration and appraisal programme which includes targeting the Bazhenov shale formation from which the company has recovered oil.
For further information on Zoltav or to sign up for the news alert service visit: www.zoltav.com