GKP spud SA-2 with a target of just 2450m. It’s more than possible that they will extend this depth if the well shows encouraging signs. Assuming an average drill rate of around 25m per day – the well should TD in early Sept. It’s very likely that all current wells on the Shaikan block will be drilled and tested by that time assuming GKP do not spud a further well on the licence.
Whilst there are other ongoing drills on their minority interest AB block, SA-2 will be the main show event come end of the summer for GKP. That said – it’s more than possible that a Sale of the Shaikan licence could occur in a few months time as the KRG are keen to accelerate key assets (like Shaikan) ahead of planned pipeline completion in August 2013. A super major with a super sized cap ex budget would be more suitable in taking the FDP forwards with the speed and expertise required.
Watch out for Monday’s Full year results RNS which should shed some light to GKP’s cash burn rate and funds available up to 31st Dec 2011.
The company also intends to do an analyst presentation on the same day.
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25 May 2012, Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. (AIM: GKP)
Kurdistan Operational Update
Spudding of Sheikh Adi-2 Exploration Well
Gulf Keystone is pleased to announce that the Sheikh Adi-2 exploration well spudded on the Sheikh Adi block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Sheikh Adi block is located immediately to the west of the Company’s Shaikan block, which is a major discovery.
Sheikh Adi-2, the second exploration well on the block, is being drilled 1.45 km to the north of the Sheikh Adi-1 exploration well, which was drilled to a total depth (“TD”) of 3,800 metres in August 2011. Based on the Sheikh Adi-1 well log results from the Cretaceous, Jurassic and the upper Triassic formations, gross oil-in-place resources of 1 billion to 3 billion barrels (P90 to P10 estimates) with a mean estimate of 1.9 billion barrels were assigned to the western part of the Sheikh Adi field by Dynamic Global Advisors, the independent Houston-based exploration consultants.
Sheikh Adi-2 will target prospective intervals in the Jurassic formation and has a planned TD of approximately 2,450 metres. The well is being drilled in the northern part of the Sheikh Adi structure with the Discoverer-4 rig, which had previously drilled the Shaikan-4 appraisal well. Based on detailed analysis of 215 km(2) of 3D data, which was fully processed in November 2011, this part of the structure appears to be more tightly folded and therefore the Board believes that it is more likely to have a well-developed system of natural fractures.
Gulf Keystone is the Operator of the Sheikh Adi block with an 80 per cent working interest, while the Kurdistan Regional Government has a 20 per cent carried interest.
John Gerstenlauer, Gulf Keystone’s Chief Operating Officer commented:
“Sheikh Adi-2 is a significant addition to our extremely active 2012/2013 drilling programme in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. To date, we have completed or are currently drilling 13 exploration and appraisal wells across the four blocks in the region in which we have interest. The location for this well has been carefully selected and we believe that with Sheikh Adi-2 we are targeting a section of the reservoir which is potentially more naturally fractured and much more similar to the Shaikan discovery. Our present goal is to prove up the impressive preliminary resource estimates for the Sheikh Adi block of 1 to 3 billion barrels of gross oil-in-place (P90 to P10 estimates), which were assigned by Dynamic Global Advisors as a result of the Sheikh Adi-1 drilling. In the future, this well will benefit from its proximity to the available infrastructure on the adjacent Shaikan block.”
Hub, it looks like oil exploration stocks are going through the same cycle as last year – ground hog day or what – but there does seem to be some nailed on value. For example Genel with a market cap of £833m but cash of $1.8m, therefore the oils in for nothing. A huge discount for political risk as with GKP, Afren etc. What’s your view, or more importantly what will it take for the market to catch up with the value of these companies?
Mark
Mark,
Keeping it short and simple – QE3 will turn investors back to equities. I think we’ll see a concerted effort from China, US and UK to bolster growth via QE3. Europe will also be part of that. I think the US have been waiting for Europe to sort their sheeet out first so post Greek vote on June 17th etc – I would expect interest to pick up again – assuming the Greek result is ‘pro’ Austerity.
The market has been here before and each time it keeps bouncing back. That has more to do with the simple fact that historically stocks have never looked better valued. The S&P is trading well below its historical averages and corporate earnings have been pretty solid.
The background crisis is like unwanted wasps at a barbecue. Everyone is keen to get on and have some fun, but those pesky wasps just keep coming from every direction. What do you do? Clad up in wasp proof clothing or leave the party? Most are doing the latter. But like all summers, the wasps finally die out and I suspect normal service will be resumed ahead of Obama’s Elections as history often dictates.
HUB