Gold Point Energy Corp. has entered into a Letter of Intent with JKX Oil & Gas PLC (“JKX”) and Aurelian Oil & Gas PLC ("Aurelian") to farm-in to a portion of two oil and gas licenses comprising 1,480 square kilometers (365,516 acres) in eastern Bulgaria. GPE has agreed to pay 40% of a 250 square kilometer 3D seismic survey plus 40% of the cost of two shallow test wells to earn a 20% working interest in the block. GPE’s obligation to pay 40% of the seismic and drilling costs is subject to a cap of $5.0 million, after which it pays 20% of the costs.
The farm-in block is located onshore in eastern Bulgaria along the Black Sea coast. The primary objective on the block is shallow Tertiary age (Eocene and Oligocene) sandstone reservoirs in the Varna Trough of the Western Black Sea Basin. The potentially productive Tertiary sediments cover an area of approximately 500 square kilometers, which is completely covered by the JKX and Aurelian licenses.
Previous exploration drilling conducted between 1941 and 1992 indicates good potential for gas development in this basin. According to statistics published by IHS Energy, a total of 205 exploration wells were drilled and 54 of those encountered significant gas shows or tests of gas to surface, despite the use of primitive seismic and drilling techniques.
“This Tertiary basin represents an opportunity to apply 3D seismic exploration techniques that were originally developed in the US Gulf Coast and recently applied to the Pannonian Basin of Hungary with great success. With the use of 3D seismic and modern drilling techniques we believe the potential for a successful development project is high.” Jack S. Steinhauser, President of GPE.
Under the terms of the Letter of Intent, GPE has agreed to pay 40% of the costs associated with a 250 square kilometer 3D seismic survey ("the 3D Survey") of the eastern area of the Golitza B and B1 Licenses (“the Eastern Golitza Area”). The current estimate of the cost of the 3D Survey is US$7.5 million. GPE's share of that US$7.5 million would be US$3.0 million. Data acquisition for the 3D Survey is scheduled to commence in September, 2008, and be completed by year-end. The processed seismic data is expected to be available to GPE in early Q2-09. Within three months of receipt of the processed seismic data GPE will make an election to obtain a 20% participating interest in the Eastern Golitza Area and continue in the project; or exit the project if it considers that the results of the 3D Survey are unfavourable.
If GPE elects to continue in the project it shall then be responsible for 40% of the cost of drilling and completing, or plugging and abandoning, the two exploration wells that are to be drilled in the Eastern Golitza Area by the end of Q4 2009 until such time as GPE’s cumulative investment in the 3D Survey and the two exploration wells shall total $5.0 million; thereafter GPE will be responsible for only 20% of any additional project costs.
GPE’s participation in the proposed transaction is subject to obtaining TSX Venture Exchange approval.
JKX Oil & Gas PLC is a FTSE 250 exploration and production company. Listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “JKX”, the Company’s principal interests are located in Ukraine and Russia, with additional interests in Georgia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey and USA. In Ukraine JKX is active through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Poltava Petroleum Company (“PPC”), which is the largest non-state producer of oil and gas in the country. JKX acquired the enterprise Yuzhgazenergie (YGE) in a US$50 million transaction during 2007; YGE holds the licence to redevelop the 34.7 square kilometer Koshekhablskoye gas field, located in the Republic of Adygea in southern Russia. During fiscal year 2007 JKX produced an average daily rate of 12,579 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), generating total revenue of US$184.5 million, cash flow of US$119.9 million, and profit of US$113.3 million.