Highlights
• Range signs HoA to acquire a 10% ownership interest in holding companies whose wholly owned subsidiaries hold three production licences in producing onshore oilfields in Trinidad and significant local onshore drilling operations.
• Trinidad has produced over 3b bbls and currently produces 100,000 bopd with both major and smaller operators. All locally produced onshore oil is acquired by the state owned refinery with logistics already established.
• Independent experts Forrest Garb and Associates1 have assessed that the producing fields subject to this agreement contain:
- Proved plus Probable Reserves (2P) of 4.8 million barrels.
- Undeveloped Prospective Resources of 20 million barrels.
• Current production is 700 bopd (100% basis) with a planned work program expected to lift production to more than 3,500 bopd within 36 months on known reserves.
• Planned production doesn't take into account exploration upside with significant potential from deeper formations which host substantial producing reserves on adjacent blocks, including reported 3P reserves (of third parties) of 30 MMbo for one such reservoir formation.
• Acquisition comes with established drilling inventory (including suitable rigs), personnel and operations all in place on site.
Australian-based oil and gas company Range Resources Limited has entered into a binding Heads of Agreement ('HOA') through SOCA Petroleum ('SOCA') to acquire its rights to a 10 percent interest in companies whose wholly owned subsidiaries hold production licences for three blocks in producing onshore oilfields in Trinidad and a major local drilling company.
The production acreage and operating wells cover the Morne Diablo, Beach Marcelle and South Quarry oilfields, with the total acreage covering 16,253 gross acres on the southern coast onshore Trinidad. Current production from the fields is 700 bopd, however Range believes a minimal work program could lift production to more than 3,500 bopd within 36 months on the known reserves.
In addition to the two subsidiaries holding production licences for the onshore acreage, the proposed Range acquisition also includes a 10 percent interest in the parent of a wholly owned drilling company (located in Trinidad), which owns five onshore drill rigs, three production rigs, one swab rig and a full workshop and pipe yard, storage tanks and facilities.
Importantly, Range will be carried through initial development expenditure. The company is planning to use company-owned drilling rigs and equipment and, with cashflow from existing production, is expected to be self-sufficient (other than a significant initial working capital injection of which Range will be carried) in its forward program which aims to increase the production from 700 bopd to 3,500 bopd within 36 months from known reserves without taking into account any exploration upside.
In addition to the known reserves, significant potential exists in the deeper Herrera Formation (refer below). The Deeper Herrera Formation will be a primary target of future drilling using companyowned drilling rigs, which are capable of reaching the depth of these formations. Subject to the successful drill testing of this formation, the Company is ultimately targeting an increase in the production level to between 800 - 1,000 bopd attributable to Range.
Range's executive director, Peter Landau commented, 'the acquisition represents the last of Range's 'pre Puntland drilling' strategic plays of seeking early stage, low risk production / mature exploration opportunities with exposure to measurable exploration upside to complement its existing portfolio.'
'Onshore Trinidad is a low cost, high operating margin environment with oil production sold at the wellhead, with oil production transported to the Pointe-a-Pierre Refinery, which has capacity for all additional planned production.'
'The Company believes that there is significant potential for value enhancement given the known management team and target an ultimate production profile of 1,000 bopd (attributable to Range) over the next 2 -3 years (fully funded),' he added.
Consideration
Under the terms of the HOA, Range is required to pay two instalments:
- US$2m upon execution of definitive agreements; and
- US$2.25m upon formal completion of the acquisition.