Message #4 From:
NewsBot Date: May 8, 2008 11:29:42 PM
Operations Update, Shallow Fields Production Unit
Frontera Resources Corporation (London Stock
Exchange, AIM Market - Symbol: FRR; OTCQX Market, U.S.A. - Symbol: FRTE),
an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, today
announced an update of operations at its Shallow Fields Production Unit,
Block 12, Georgia.
Mirzaani Field: Since the beginning of the year, existing production
operations have continued to yield production of approximately 80 barrels
per day of 28 degree API oil from multiple oil and gas bearing reservoirs
situated within the Shiraki formation at depths of 400 meters to 1,200
meters.
In the past two months, five existing wells within the field have been
prepared for re-entry radial drilling operations, and a specialized
drilling unit is currently scheduled to arrive on location in mid-May to
commence work. The radial drilling rig is similar to a coiled tubing unit
and is designed to drill multiple short-reach lateral well bores from
existing wells into producing formations to enhance well productivity. The
application of radial drilling to existing wells is expected to add new
production of as much as 10-20 barrels per day per well from reservoirs
situated at depths of approximately 1,200 meters. Total cost for the
five-well program is estimated to be approximately $600,000. Frontera
believes that radial drilling will increase production in a cost-effective
manner and establish the basis for additional well re-entries and the
drilling of new wells in undeveloped portions of the field.
The reservoir engineering firm of Netherland, Sewell & Associates,
Frontera's independent reserve engineers, has previously estimated the
reserves associated with current production to be 282,000 barrels of proved
producing reserves, 97,000 barrels of probable reserves and 64,000 barrels
of possible reserves. Overall, Frontera estimates the remaining
recoverable reserves of all categories in the Mirzaani Field to be
approximately 1.5 million barrels, including the 0.443 million barrels
covered by Netherland Sewell's previous estimates, taking into account
undeveloped reserves beyond existing well bores.
Mtsare Khevi Field: A multi-well workover program has commenced and is
currently underway at the undeveloped Mtsare Khevi Field. The first three
workovers have been completed, targeting oil and gas bearing reservoirs
within the Akchagil formation situated at depths of approximately 400
meters. Results from two wells have thus far yielded production rates of
approximately 20 barrels per day, per well, of 21 degree API oil. A third
well has produced approximately 1.2 million cubic feet per day of gas with
5 barrels per day of associated oil. The combined cost of the three
workovers was approximately $100,000, and payout of this investment is
expected to be less than fifty days based on production from these wells.
The Mtsare Khevi Field is located in the eastern portion of Block 12 with
multiple objective reservoirs situated at depths between 200 meters and
1,100 meters. It was discovered and partially delineated with multiple
exploration-delineation wells from 1989 to 1994, but never developed and
produced. After completing a field study in 2007 that indicated this field
potentially contains approximately 5 million barrels of recoverable oil
reserves, Frontera designed a plan to bring reservoirs from the Akchagil
formation into production.
Plans are to re-enter five additional wells, followed by the commencement
of a sixty-well development drilling program. Each well is estimated to
cost approximately $100,000 to drill and complete, and new wells are
expected to flow at similar rates to those obtained in the recent
workovers. New wells are necessary as analysis has concluded that it is
not mechanically possible nor cost efficient to reenter the majority of the
previously drilled Soviet era wells, which were originally designed only to
determine the presence of reservoir and structure.
Nazarlebi Field and Patara Shiraki Field: During 2007, field studies
concluded that significant undeveloped reserve potential of as much as 5
million barrels of recoverable reserves exists in oil bearing reservoirs
situated at depths from 10 meters to 1,200 meters within the Shiraki
formation at the Nazarlebi and Patara Shiraki Fields. These fields are
situated adjacent to one another in Block 12.
In March and April 2008, ten wells were drilled to depths of approximately
100 meters in order to specifically target and produce known oil-bearing
reservoirs in the Shiraki formation lying updip from the highest known
perforations in existing wells. These horizons are the main historical
producing zones from the fields and can be accessed at depths as shallow as
10 meters. Previous development during the Soviet era overlooked oil at
depths of less than approximately 300 meters. Field studies and the
presence of existing natural oil seeps have revealed the presence of
extensive undeveloped oil potential at these shallow depths of as much as 1
million barrels of recoverable oil reserves.
One well from this initial drilling program has flowed approximately 6
barrels per day of 23-28 degree API oil, with others flowing smaller
volumes. As the cost to drill these shallow wells is on average $20,000,
payout is expected to be achieved in approximately one to two months per
well. These results have established the basis for an extensive, low-cost
development program in these two fields in order to increase near term
production and cash flow, and Frontera believes there are potentially
hundreds of locations that can be drilled.
Financial Results: The Shallow Fields Production Unit has thus far in 2008
generated revenues from oil sales of approximately $2.6 million dollars.
Steve C. Nicandros, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"Recent workover and drilling operations within the Shallow Fields
Production Unit represent the commencement of important near-term
production and reserve additions amidst a very strong commodity price
environment. The shallow reservoir objectives that are the basis for this
business unit provide the opportunity for low-cost operations that yield
extremely attractive economics. We, therefore, believe this business unit
will continue to grow with low-cost and low-risk opportunities to
complement our other business units in Block 12. Based on the results thus
far and the per-barrel valuations being attributed to reserves for other
public companies, we expect the unit to deliver significant value to
Frontera and its shareholders for many years to come."
Frontera's Shallow Fields Production Unit, formerly referred to as the
Mirzaani Field Area Production Unit and expanded in area as a result of
ongoing technical analysis, is located in the central portion of Block 12
and represents what the company believes to be an extensive trend of
low-cost, low-risk undeveloped oil and gas reserves. Containing four
discovered yet undeveloped or underdeveloped fields, with associated
exploration potential, these fields are situated in Pliocene age horizons
at depths from 10 meters to 1,500 meters.
Notes to Editors:
1. Frontera Resources Corporation is an independent Houston, Texas,
U.S.A.-based international oil and gas exploration and production company
whose strategy is to identify opportunities and operate in emerging markets
around the world. Frontera has operated in Georgia since 1997 where it
holds a 100 percent working interest in a production sharing agreement with
the government of Georgia. This gives Frontera the exclusive right to
explore for, develop and produce oil and gas from a 5,060 square kilometer
area in eastern Georgia known as Block 12. For more information, please see
www.fronteraresources.com.
2. The proved, probable and possible reserve information associated with
existing production at the Mirzaani Field contained in this announcement
was determined by the independent consulting firm of Netherland, Sewell &
Associates in accordance with the petroleum resource definitions adopted by
the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), World Petroleum Council (WPC) and
the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) in 2000. Gerard
Bono, Frontera's Vice President and Chief Reservoir Engineer, is the
qualified person who reviewed and approved the other reserve information
contained in this announcement. These estimates are currently being
reviewed by Netherland, Sewell & Associates and will be released as soon as
practicable.
3. Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum, which by analysis of
geological and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty
to be commercially recoverable, from a given date forward, from known
reservoirs and under current economic conditions, operating methods, and
government regulations. If deterministic methods are used, the term
reasonable certainty is intended to express a high degree of confidence
that the quantities will be recovered. If probabilistic methods are used,
there should be at least a 90 percent probability that the quantities
actually recovered will equal or exceed the estimate. Probable reserves are
those unproved reserves which analysis of geological and engineering data
suggest are more likely than not to be recoverable. In this context, when
probabilistic methods are used, there should be at least a 50 percent
probability that the quantities actually recovered will equal or exceed the
sum of estimated proved plus probable reserves. Possible reserves are
those unproved reserves which analysis of geological and engineering data
suggest are less likely to be recoverable than probable reserves. In this
context, when probabilistic methods are used, there should be at least a 10
percent probability that the quantities actually recovered will equal or
exceed the sum of estimated proved plus probable plus possible reserves.
4. This release contains certain forward-looking statements, including,
without limitation, expectations, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding
the potential transactions, potential drilling schedule, well results and
ventures discussed in this release, as well as reserves, future drilling,
development and production. Among the important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements are: future exploration and development results;
availability and performance of needed equipment and personnel; seismic
data; evaluation of logs and cores from wells drilled; fluctuations in oil
and gas prices; weather conditions; general economic conditions; and the
political situation in Georgia and neighboring countries. There is no
assurance that Frontera's expectations will be realized, and actual results
may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking
statements.