Average Quarterly Production 17,800 bopd
CALGARY, July 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Bankers Petroleum Ltd. (Bankers or the
Company) (TSX: BNK) (AIM: BNK) is pleased to announce the Company's
second quarter operational update.
Production, Sales and Oil Prices
Average production from the Patos-Marinza oilfield in Albania for the
second quarter of 2013 was 17,800 barrels of oil per day (bopd), 5%
higher than 16,919 bopd in the first quarter. Oil sales during the
quarter averaged 18,008 bopd, 8% higher than the previous quarter average of 16,605 bopd. The
crude oil inventory at June 30, 2013 was 330,000 barrels, 10,000
barrels less than 340,000 barrels at March 31, 2013.
The Patos-Marinza second quarter average oil price was approximately
$80.36 per barrel (representing 78% of the Brent oil price of $102.44
per barrel), as compared with the first quarter average oil price of
$88.70 per barrel (representing 79% of the Brent oil price of $112.57
per barrel).
For the six months ended June 30, 2013 oil sales were 17,310 bopd
($84.34 per barrel) an increase of 26% from 13,724 bopd ($80.57 per
barrel) for the comparable 2012 period.
Drilling Update
Thirty-nine (39) horizontal wells were drilled and rig released during
the second quarter in the main area of the Patos-Marinza oilfield:
thirty-five (35) horizontal production wells and four (4) horizontal
lateral re-drills. Thirty-four (34) of these wells were completed and
are on production, and the remaining five (5) will be placed on
production in July.
The Company continues to focus on pad drilling within production
fairways and ongoing legacy vertical well remediation, where necessary,
ahead of the program. Pattern development drilling for secondary
recovery techniques in the Marinza and Lower Driza zones has continued
in the second quarter.
Secondary and Tertiary Recovery Program
The Company progressed with the first polymer flood pilot, converting a
second well to injection. With continued satisfactory results, a
further three wells are expected to be converted in the third quarter.
Contingent on pilot results, commercial polymer preparation equipment
has been sourced for delivery in 2014. A water flood pattern was also
initiated with the first well converted and placed on injection early
in the quarter and a second well converted and placed on injection in
July.
Block "F"
The exploration well in Block "F" was spudded June 30th, 2013, and is expected to take 21 days to drill. This is the second
exploration well in Block "F" and will complete Bankers two well
obligation on the block.
Infrastructure Development
Key 2013 infrastructure projects including flow lines and satellite
treatment facilities, tank storage expansion, and sludge treatment
facilities commenced construction at Patos-Marinza in the second
quarter and will continue throughout the balance of the year.
Updated Corporate Presentation
For additional information on this operational update, please see the
July 2013 version of the Company's corporate presentation at www.bankerspetroleum.com.
Conference Call
The Management of Bankers will host a conference call on July 5, 2013 at
7:00 am MDT to discuss this Operations Update. Following Management's
presentation, there will be a question and answer session for analysts
and investors.
To participate in the conference call, please contact the conference
operator ten minutes prior to the call at 1-888-231-8191 or
1-647-427-7450. A live audio web cast of the conference call will also
be available on Bankers website at http://www.bankerspetroleum.com or by entering the following URL into your web browser http://www.newswire.ca/en/webcast/detail/1136995/1240855
The web cast will be archived two hours after the presentation on the
website, and posted on the website for 90 days. A replay of the call
will be available until July 19, 2013 by dialing 1-855-859-2056 or
1-416-849-0833 and entering access code 99227901.
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Caution Regarding Forward-looking Information
Information in this news release respecting matters such as the expected
future production levels from wells, future prices and netback, work
plans, anticipated total oil recovery of the Patos-Marinza and Kuçova
oilfields constitute forward-looking information. Statements
containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this
news release, the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections,
expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are
believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to
the Company.
Exploration for oil is a speculative business that involves a high
degree of risk. The Company's expectations for its Albanian operations
and plans are subject to a number of risks in addition to those
inherent in oil production operations, including: that Brent oil prices
could fall resulting in reduced returns and a change in the economics
of the project; availability of financing; delays associated with
equipment procurement, equipment failure and the lack of suitably
qualified personnel; the inherent uncertainty in the estimation of
reserves; exports from Albania being disrupted due to unplanned
disruptions; and changes in the political or economic environment.
Production and netback forecasts are based on a number of assumptions
including that the rate and cost of well takeovers, well reactivations
and well recompletions of the past will continue and success rates will
be similar to those rates experienced for previous well
recompletions/reactivations/development; that further wells taken over
and recompleted will produce at rates similar to the average rate of
production achieved from wells recompletions/reactivations/development
in the past; continued availability of the necessary equipment,
personnel and financial resources to sustain the Company's planned work
program; continued political and economic stability in Albania; the
existence of reserves as expected; the continued release by Albpetrol
of areas and wells pursuant to the Plan of Development and Addendum;
the absence of unplanned disruptions; the ability of the Company to
successfully drill new wells and bring production to market; and
general risks inherent in oil and gas operations.
Forward-looking statements and information are based on assumptions that
financing, equipment and personnel will be available when required and
on reasonable terms, none of which are assured and are subject to a
number of other risks and uncertainties described under "Risk Factors"
in the Company's Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion
and Analysis, which are available on SEDAR under the Company's profile
at www.sedar.com.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to
be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially
from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking information and forward looking
statements.
Review by Qualified Person
This release was reviewed by Suneel Gupta, Executive Vice President and
COO of Bankers Petroleum Ltd., who is a "qualified person" under the
rules and policies of AIM in his role with the Company and due to his
training as a professional petroleum engineer (member of APEGA) with
over 20 years' experience in domestic and international oil and gas
operations.
About Bankers Petroleum Ltd.
Bankers Petroleum Ltd. is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration and
production company focused on developing large oil and gas reserves.
In Albania, Bankers operates and has the full rights to develop the
Patos-Marinza heavy oilfield, has a 100% interest in the Kuçova
oilfield, and a 100% interest in Exploration Block "F". Bankers'
shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the AIM Market in
London, England under the stock symbol BNK.
SOURCE: Bankers Petroleum Ltd.
