Interesting ReadA bold move byRussia in 2009 to restrict natural gas exports to Eastern Europe causedsupply scares, and a premium of almost double on domestic prices. Thispremium price still remains, as countries like the Ukraine and Polandrush to secure supplies from within. Today the economics are prime forforeign investment, and Vancouver-basedTranseuro Energy [TSU - TSX.V]is poised to lead the way. Drilling has already begun on Transeuro'sKarlavskoye gas field project, which a third-party has verified tocontain half a trillion cubic feet of gas (Tcf) reserves.Transeuro's favourable and timely position gives North Americans theopportunity to capitalize from home on this unique gas market.
While North American suppliers are receiving $4-$5 per thousand cubic feet of gas (mcf),
suppliers in the Ukraine receive a $3-4 premium at $8/mcf. Third party estimates have conservatively projected Transeuro's daily production in the Ukraine to reach
over 20 million cubic feet of gas per day [mmcf/d]. Results of Transeuro's drilling program are right around the corner, with initial results expected in early February 2011.
TranseuroEnergy [TUS - TSX.V] is a publicly traded Canadian junior oil and gasexploration and development company with high potential assets ingeographically remote or geopolitically difficult areas. Diversifiedover multiple natural gas projects, Transeuro is poised to capitalize onthe demands of markets in Eastern Europe, North America and Asia. Thecompany is not only currently developing two large natural gas positionsin the Ukraine, but in North Eastern British Columbia and in Papua NewGuinea as well. Balancing interests over each market provides Transeurothe ability to shop its product through multiple global price points forits natural gas.
With its Ukrainian interests being the primaryfocus, Transeuro remains balanced over its three main countries ofinterest, which can be broken down as follows:
UKRAINE:
TheUkraine's current situation requires that it import 80% of its gassupply from Russia, which in January of 2009 was restricted by 10%without sufficient warning
[1]. Within Transeuro's three Ukrainian properties includes the largeKarlavskoye field, which to-date has yielded 9 successful gas andcondensate wells. These resulted in third-party verifications of nearlyhalf a trillion cubic feet of gas (0.5 Tcf) within Transeuro's project
[2].
Transeuro has already begun its 2011 drilling program with 5 targetseach projecting nearly 5 mmcf/d (million cubic feet of gas per day), anda conservative combined result of over 20 mmcf/d plus an added 1000barrels per day of condensate for a large total of 4500 boepd (barrelsof oil equivalent per day). Upon completion of production tie-ins, attoday's prices of $8 per thousand cubic feet of gas
[3] , 20 million cubic feet per day production would yield a gross income of $160k.
Despitean agreement made at the end of 2009, the need to secure a domesticsupply within the Ukraine to hedge against any future supply disruptionshas become strikingly apparent. With a population of nearly 46 millionpeople, and sharing a border with the emerging economy of Poland alongwith much of the rest of Eastern Europe, the Ukraine provides anopportunistic market to natural gas producers.
Accompanying theTranseuro's Karlavskoye project is its Povortnoye project whichpreviously produced 7 wells. Data in place suggests additional reservesof 101 billion cubic feet of gas (Bcf), with drilling set to commence in2011. Like the Karlaskoye project, Povortnoye has the added benefit ofpreviously constructed pipeline infrastructure near the well license.
NORTHEASTERN BC:
Adjacentto the much-publicized Horn River gas basin, Transeuro's Beaver Riverproject has high potential with third party indications for gas in placein the range of 1 trillion cubic feet of gas (Tcf) per section.Transeuro holds a 50% interest (shared with Questerre Energy Corporation[QEC - TSX]) in the Beaver River field, which consists of 23,000 acresand one of North America's thickest sections of shale gas. Transeuro andQuesterre are currently progressing through an appraisal program toestablish which zones are the most prolific to drill.
Unlikemuch of the further northern region of BC, the Transeuro lease has theadded benefit of being near infrastructure. An extension of Amoco'swestcoast piepline runs through the lease, allowing accessibleproduction from the existing wells and providing the significant futurebenefit of cheap and quick tie-ins.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA:
Relativelyundeveloped due to challenging terrain, Papua New Guniea is beginningto see new development and infrastructure. These include the actions of aconsortium led by ExxonMobil to begin the commercialization of thePNG's estimated 22.5 Tcf of natural gas, starting with a proposedconstruction of a liquified natural gas production facility slated to becompleted in 2013 or 2014
[4].PNG currently produces 45,000 barrels of oil per day. Monitoring thisopportunity, Transeuro currently holds an option to back in to 10% ofthe four exploration license blocks held by Eaglewood Energy [EWD -TSX.V] in Papua New Guinea.
[1]https://www.ekemeuroenergy.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:the-security-of-gas-supply-as-a-catalyst-for-regional-integration-in-the-western-balkans-and-south-eastern-europe&catid=45:caspian-sea-black-sea-and-south-east-europe&Itemid=69
[2]https://www.transeuroenergy.com/i/pdf/TranseuroUkraineOperationsReport-OilandGasInfo.pdf
[3]https://naturalgasforeurope.com/3-legs-ceo-europe-the-new-frontier.htm
[4]https://www.eaglewoodenergy.ca/exploration_licenses/index.html