RE: Recent ProductionWell, we know that at the beginning of August, production was 30K. The plant was down for 10-11 days and during that time bitumen production was cut back to about 75% capacity or 20-22K bls. In order to get the monthly average back up to 28.5K, the last week of August should have averaged near 33K. Even 32K would be a decent monthly increase. That would put us at 40 K min by year end. But with the new wells coming on line, that min should rise to 43-45K for year end. That would put us at March 2011 for expense and interest break even mark, considering linear well growth. Typically, production should rise exponentially, on a curve so I think we could say pretty safely that opti's cash burn is now quickly coming to an end and will stop entirely by the end of the first qtr, next year. That should work out to roughly $100 mil of interest expenses over the next 3 qtrs (including this one).
Assuming $75 oil. I'm being more than conservatively fair (for the naysayers)
OPTI needs to sell nothing, especially at a discount.
Giver.