13^th December 2022

Block Energy plc

("Block" or the "Company")

Drilling Commences on WR-B01 Side-track (ST)

Block Energy plc, the exploration and production company focused on Georgia, is pleased to announce drilling operations on well WR-B01 ST have commenced.  

Well WR-B01 ST will target a fracture system, identified by a high density of seismic attribute lineations, on the west side of the Krtsanisi anticline on the West Rustavi oil field. The well will be drilled c.500m to the west and up-dip of well JKT-01Z, which has been on continuous production for almost a year, with cumulative volumes of over 73,000 boe.

Well WR-B01 ST is part of Project I, which is focused on the development of the Middle Eocene reservoir within West Rustavi/Krtsanisi. The well is being funded from the Company's cash reserves and ongoing cashflows.

The ERCE 2022 Competent Person's Report ascribed 3.01 million barrels 3P reserves, with an NPV project value of USD 57 million, to just a portion of the West Rustavi/Krtsanisi Middle Eocene reservoir. The Company's contingent resource report ascribes a total of 19.5 million barrels 2C contingent resource to the whole of the West Rustavi/Krtsanisi area.

Commenting, Paul Haywood, Chief Executive of Block Energy plc's, said:

"The spudding of this well represents another solid step forward for Block and further progress on the Company's core Project 1 strategy to deliver meaningful near-term revenues and cashflows, and further value for shareholders. It comes on the back of a farmout of two portions of the Company's XI^B licence, which adds material exploration upside to Block at no immediate cost. We look forward to providing shareholders with further updates on well WR-B01 ST as progress is made, and we also look forward to reporting on JSR-01 DEEP, where testing continues".

Stephen James BSc, MBA, PhD (Block's Subsurface Manager) has reviewed the reserve, resource and production information contained in this announcement. Dr James is a geoscientist with over 40 years' of experience in field development and reservoir management.

**ENDS**

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE UK VERSION OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION NO 596/2014 WHICH IS PART OF ENGLISH LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED.  ON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

For further information please visit http://www.blockenergy.co.uk/ or contact:

Notes to editors

Block Energy plc is an AIM-listed independent oil and gas company focused on production and development in Georgia, applying innovative technology to realise the full potential of previously discovered fields.

Block has a 100% working interest in Georgian onshore licence blocks IX and XI^B. Licence block XI^B is Georgia's most productive block. During the mid-1980s, production peaked at 67,000 bopd and cumulative production reached 100 MMbbls and 80 MMbbls of oil from the Patardzeuli and Samgori fields, respectively. The remaining 2P reserves across block XI^B are 64 MMboe, comprising 2P oil reserves of 36 MMbbls and 2P gas reserves of 28 MMboe. (Source: CPR Bayphase Limited: 1 July 2015). Additionally, following an internal technical study designed to evaluate and quantify the undrained oil potential of the Middle Eocene within the Patardzeuli field, the Company has estimated gross unrisked 2C contingent resources of 200 MMbbls of oil.

The Company has a 100% working interest in licence block XI^F containing the West Rustavi onshore oil and gas field. Multiple wells have tested oil and gas from a range of geological horizons. The field has so far produced over 75 Mbbls of light sweet crude and has 1.07 MMbbls of gross 2P oil reserves in the Middle Eocene. It also has 38 MMbbls of gross unrisked 2C contingent resources of oil and 608 Bcf of gross unrisked 2C contingent resources of gas in the Middle, Upper and Lower Eocene formations (Source: CPR Gustavson Associates: 1 January 2018, ERCE 2022).

In 2022, a Competent Person's Report provided by ERCE, ascribed 3P reserves of 3.01 million barrels, with an NPV project value of USD 57 million, to just a portion of the West Rustavi/Krtsanisi Middle Eocene reservoir.

Block also holds 100% and 90% working interests respectively in the onshore oil producing Norio and Satskhenisi fields.

The Company offers a clear entry point for investors to gain exposure to Georgia's growing economy and the strong regional demand for oil and gas.

Glossary

·    bbls: barrels. A barrel is 35 imperial gallons.

·    Bcf: billion cubic feet.

·    boe: barrels of oil equivalent.

·    boepd: barrels of oil equivalent per day.

·    bopd: barrels of oil per day.

·    Mbbls: thousand barrels.

·    Mboe: thousand barrels of oil equivalent.

·    Mcf: thousand cubic feet.

·    MMbbls: million barrels.

·    MMboe: million barrels of oil equivalent.

·    MMcf: million cubic feet.