BLACKBIRD ENERGY PROVIDES DRILLING UPDATEBLACKBIRD ENERGY PROVIDES DRILLING UPDATE ON BIGSTONE MONTNEY WELL AND ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF THIRD AND FINAL TRANCHE OF PRIVATE PLACEMENT
Further to Blackbird Energy Inc.'s Nov. 30, 2011, news release, it has been informed by the operator, Donnybrook Energy Inc., that the DEI Bigstone Hz 15-32-60-22 W5M well (25-per-cent working interest to Blackbird) has been drilled to total vertical depth, including the build section, being the process of gradually increasing the drilling slant angle from vertical to horizontal, into the Montney formation. Intermediate casing is currently being installed and cemented into place, subsequent to which drilling of the 2,500-metre lateral through the Montney formation will commence. The drilling program calls for the well to be drilled to a total measured depth of approximately 5,150 metres from surface location 3-29-60-22W5, cased and prepared for completion, and fracing operations within an approximate 35-day time frame. The project operations are currently progressing within the targeted time frame and budget.
Blackbird today also reported that it has raised additional gross proceeds of $836,500 in a combined closing of the third and final tranche of its previously announced brokered private placement led by lead agent PI Financial Corp. and certain non-brokered subscriptions. In the brokered third tranche, the company issued a total of 835,000 units at a price of 20 cents per unit and 2.28 million flow-through shares at a price of 20 cents per flow-through share for gross proceeds of $623,000. Each unit consists of one common share in the capital of the company and one common share purchase warrant exercisable at a price of 30 cents until Dec. 14, 2013. The non-brokered subscriptions consisted of 550,000 flow-through shares and 517,500 units for gross proceeds of $213,500.
Pursuant to an agency agreement entered into between the company and the agent, a total of 186,900 agents' warrants were issued to the agent and its selling group, representing 6 per cent of the units and flow-through shares sold in the brokered third tranche. The agents' warrants are exercisable at a price of 30 cents until Dec. 14, 2013. The agent has also been paid a cash commission of $37,380, representing 6 per cent of the gross proceeds of the third tranche.
All of the securities issued pursuant to the private placement and the non-brokered subscriptions are subject to a four-month hold period.
The net proceeds from the private placement will be applied to the company's project with Donnybrook Energy Inc. for the lease construction and drilling of the second Montney well at Bigstone, drilling of which has commenced. The proceeds from the flow-through shares sold will be used by Blackbird to incur eligible Canadian exploration expenses.
Blackbird announced that it has granted a total of 2.1 million incentive stock options to certain officers, directors and consultants. Such options are exercisable at the price of 20 cents until Dec. 15, 2016. Currently, a total of 480,627 shares remain available for issuance under the company's stock option plan.