Message #29 From:
NewsBot Date: October 6, 2006 06:28:00 AM
SYNM News Syntroleum Announces Aje Field Update
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syntroleum Corporation (NASDAQ:SYNM) announced today that Challenger
Minerals Inc., Providence Resources PLC, Energy Equity Resources Ltd,
Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Co. Ltd. (“YFP”)
and Syntroleum, have agreed to pursue the drilling of an additional
appraisal well (Aje-4) on the Oil Mining Lease (“OML”)
113 off the western coast of Nigeria. Lundin Petroleum and Palace
Exploration Company have opted not to participate in the drilling of
Aje-4. As a result, YFP, the Nigerian firm which holds the rights to OML
113, and Syntroleum are in active discussions with several additional
companies interested in joining the participant group. Under the
original joint venture agreement with YFP, Syntroleum and its partners
have until April 5, 2007 to commence drilling the Aje-4 well, subject to
rig availability. The Aje field was discovered in 1996 with the drilling
of the Aje 1 and 2 wells which tested a combined rate of 6255 bpd of oil
and 1729 bpd of condensate and 66.7 million cubic feet of gas per day.
Since the drilling of the Aje-3 well, the participant group has
re-processed the 3-D seismic and conducted a new evaluation of the
reprocessed data. This work combined with the results of the Aje-3 well
have led to agreement among those participants who have elected to
pursue an additional well on the proposed location for the Aje-4 well.
“We are encouraged by current discussions with
other experienced companies that may be interested in working with us in
Nigeria,” said Jack Holmes, president and CEO
of Syntroleum. “Syntroleum, Challenger
Minerals, Providence Resources, Energy Equity Resources Ltd and YFP are
optimistic about the commercial prospects of Aje-4.”
“We believe the Aje field is a commercial
discovery which can be economically developed due to the rapidly
improving gas market in Nigeria and the rich yield of condensate and LPG
in the gas,” said Tunde Folawiyo, managing
director of YFP. “We look forward to working
with the existing group and their new partners to expedite the
development of this asset.”
Syntroleum Corporation owns a proprietary process for converting natural
gas or synthesis gas derived from coal and other carbon-based feedstock
into synthetic liquid hydrocarbons. The company plans to use its
technology to develop and participate in natural gas and coal
monetization projects in a number of global locations.
This document includes forward-looking statements as well as
historical information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements relating to the amount of oil, natural gas and
GTL productreserves, possible production rates, drilling
results, oil and gas exploration and development plans and operations,
oil and gas well characteristics, cost and productivity, negotiations
with industry participants and governmental entities, project financing
and timing, receipt and amount of project revenues, and the use and
effectiveness of the Syntroleum Process and related technologies and
products. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "believe,"
"estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "plan," "should," “could,”
and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that
identify forward-looking statements. Although Syntroleum believes that
its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are
reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no
assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these
forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the
failure to receive governmental approvals, the failure to assign a
participating interest to Syntroleum and/or to an industry participant,
failure of the wells to produce as the previous test wells, the
potential that commercial-scale GTL plants will not achieve the same
results as those demonstrated on a laboratory or pilot basis or that
such plants will experience technological and mechanical problems, the
potential that improvements to the Syntroleum Process currently under
development may not be successful, the impact on plant economics of
operating conditions (including energy prices), construction risks, the
ability to implement corporate strategies, competition, intellectual
property risks, Syntroleum’s ability to
obtain financing and other risks described in the company’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
®“Syntroleum”
is registered as a trademark and service mark in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office