Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
(“Falcon” or “Company”)
Amungee NW-2H Well Update
22 June 2023 – Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSXV: FO, AIM: FOG) provides the following update on operations at the Amungee NW-2H (“A2H”) in the Beetaloo Sub-Basin, Northern Territory, Australia with Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited’s joint venture partner, Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited (“Tamboran”), collectively the joint venture (“JV”).
Background
In December 2022 the A2H well was drilled to a total depth (TD) of 3,883 metres, including a 1,275-metre horizontal section within the Amungee Member B Shale, with a 25-stage stimulation programme completed across a 1,020 metre horizontal section in March 2023. Operations to install production tubing were completed in late-April 2023 and the well was subsequently re-opened in preparation for production flow testing. This is only the sixth well drilled and fracture stimulated in the Beetaloo Sub-basin to date.
Update on Flow Testing
- The A2H well achieved gas breakthrough, however, modelling and independent third-party analysis from a US laboratory identified a potential skin inhibiting the flow of gas from the stimulated shale. Despite this, the gas has flowed at an average rate of 0.97 mmcf/d over 50 days with circa 10% of the water used in the simulation programme recovered to date, well below other wells in the basin.
- The JV believe flows from the well are yet to establish an uninhibited 30-day initial production rate.
- The well is currently producing approximately 0.83 mmcf/d and water recovery is approximately 50 bbl/d with cumulative gas production and water recovery of 52.37 mmcf and 17,879 bbl, respectively.
- The hydrocarbon phases recovered are dry gas with 90.4% methane and 2.9% ethane.
- The JV believes the results are not indicative of the underlying production potential of the Amungee Member B Shale as the Amungee NW-1H well (“A1H”) achieved flow rates of >5 mmcf/d over a normalised 1,000 metres from the same well pad in 2021. Comparative details are included in the table below:
A2H | A1H (full)* | A1H (flow)* | |
Stimulated Lat. Length (m) | 1020 | 682 | 162 |
Stages | 25 | 11 | 4 |
Proppant Volume (kbbls) | 169 | 67 | 31 |
Proppant Tonnage (million pounds) | 7.1 | 2.5 | 1.5 |
* 1The A1H well was stimulated over a 682-metre horizontal section in the Mid Velkerri “B Shale”. Following testing, the flow was determined to be flowing over four stages (stage 8 – 11). A1H (flow) shows flow across this smaller length. A1H (full) is over 1,000 metre) |
- Results from the laboratory will continue to test fluid samples to determine how the JV can potentially clean-up potential skin within the A2H well and apply learnings going forward on future completion operations. Updates to the market will be provided as further results and conclusions become available.
- Analysis is also being conducted to compare the completion and stimulation design of the A2H well and the A1H fracture stimulation in 2016, which had a production logging test completed in 2021, to establish the optimum approach to future completion and fracture stimulation designs.
Forward Work Programme
The JV partners will continue to focus on interpreting the results to date and completing the test and analysis work, to determine if there is clean-up work that can be carried out on the A2H well in Q3 2023.
The JV is also considering undertaking a two well drilling programme in the second half of this year which, once formally approved by the JV, will include drilling a well at Shenandoah South (“SS1H”) in exploration permit 117, 60 kilometres south of A2H (from the same pad Kyalla 117 N2-1H ST2 was drilled) in Q3 2023 targeting deeper acreage in the JV exploration permits followed by drilling Amungee 3H (“A3H”), a well in close proximity to the existing two Amungee wells.
Further details will be announced to the market once the JV has formally approved the work program.
Philip O’Quigley, Falcon’s CEO, commented:
“Initial flow rates demonstrated from the A2H well to date do not reflect the true deliverability of the shale in the Amungee region. Being the sixth well drilled and stimulated within the Amungee member within the Beetaloo Sub-basin, we continue to learn from how the shale is stimulated and performs under varying conditions. Further analysis of all available data together with any clean-up work will hopefully yield more positive interpretation of the results obtained to date.
We look forward to being able to use all the learnings from this A2H well and other work conducted in the Beetaloo Sub-basin to date in order to allow the JV to design a modified drilling and completion programme for the proposed upcoming two-well drilling program which hopefully will deliver a successful outcome for our shareholders.
Falcon remains in a very strong financial position with circa US$16 million in cash and remains carried for costs at this time.”
This announcement contains inside information.
Ends.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. | +353 1 676 8702 |
Philip O’Quigley, CEO | +353 87 814 7042 |
Anne Flynn, CFO | +353 1 676 9162 |
Cenkos Securities plc (NOMAD & Broker) | |
Neil McDonald / Derrick Lee | +44 131 220 9771 |
This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gábor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd’s Head of Technical Operations. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG.
About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia, South Africa and Hungary. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with a technical team based in Budapest, Hungary.
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. please visit www.falconoilandgas.com
About Tamboran B2 Pty Limited
Tamboran (B1) Pty Limited (“Tamboran B1”) is the 100% holder of Tamboran B2 Pty Limited, with Tamboran B1 being a 50:50 joint venture between Tamboran Resources Limited and Daly Waters Energy, LP (Sheffield).
Tamboran Resources Limited, is a natural gas company listed on the ASX (TBN) and U.S. OTC markets (TBNNY). Tamboran is focused on playing a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future, by developing the significant low CO2 gas resource within the Beetaloo Basin through cutting-edge drilling and completion design technology as well as management’s experience that in successfully commercialising unconventional shale in North America.
Bryan Sheffield of Daly Waters Energy, LP is a highly successful investor and has made significant returns in the US unconventional energy sector in the past. He was Founder of Parsley Energy Inc. (“PE”), an independent unconventional oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin, Texas and previously served as its Chairman and CEO. PE was acquired for over US$7 billion by Pioneer Natural Resources Company (“Pioneer”), itself a leading independent oil and gas company and with the PE acquisition became a Permian pure play company. Pioneer has a current market capitalisation of c. US$60 billion.
Glossary
bbl | Barrels |
bbl/d | Barrels per day |
Kbbl | Kilobarrel |
M | Metres |
Mmcf | Million cubic feet |
Mmcf/d | Million cubic feet per day |
Advisory regarding forward looking statements
Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “dependent”, “consider” “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “outlook”, “budget”, “hope”, “suggest”, “support” “planned”, “approximately”, “potential” or the negative of those terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, information relating to the completion of the stimulation programme, the execution of the fracture stimulation of the A2H well, the prospectivity of the Amungee Member/Middle Velkerri play and the JV believing the results are not indicative of the underlying production potential of the Amungee Member B Shale, the JV working with laboratories on fluid samples to determine how the JV can potentially clean-up potential skin with the A2H well and apply learnings going forward, analysis to compare the completion and stimulation design of the A2H well and the A1H fracture stimulation in 2016, to establish the optimum approach to future completion and fracture stimulation designs, JV believing flows from the well are yet to establish an uninhibited 30-day initial production rate, the JV considering a two well drilling programme at Shenandoah South and Amungee 3. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results include risks associated with fluctuations in market prices for shale gas; risks related to the exploration, development and production of shale gas reserves; general economic, market and business conditions; substantial capital requirements; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of reserves and resources; extent of, and cost of compliance with, government laws and regulations and the effect of changes in such laws and regulations; the need to obtain regulatory approvals before development commences; environmental risks and hazards and the cost of compliance with environmental regulations; aboriginal claims; inherent risks and hazards with operations such as mechanical or pipe failure, cratering and other dangerous conditions; potential cost overruns, drilling wells is speculative, often involving significant costs that may be more than estimated and may not result in any discoveries; variations in foreign exchange rates; competition for capital, equipment, new leases, pipeline capacity and skilled personnel; the failure of the holder of licenses, leases and permits to meet requirements of such; changes in royalty regimes; failure to accurately estimate abandonment and reclamation costs; inaccurate estimates and assumptions by management and their joint venture partners; effectiveness of internal controls; the potential lack of available drilling equipment; failure to obtain or keep key personnel; title deficiencies; geo-political risks; and risk of litigation.
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive and that these factors and risks are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com, including under "Risk Factors" in the Annual Information Form.
Any references in this news release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons; however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. Readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Falcon. Such rates are based on field estimates and may be based on limited data available at this time.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.