6th Jan 2011 07:00
NIGHTHAWK ENERGY PLC
("Nighthawk" or "the Company")
Jolly Ranch Operations Update
Nighthawk, the US focused oil development and production company (AIM: HAWK and OTCQX: NHEGY), announces an update on the recompletion and completion operations underway at Jolly Ranch.
Highlights
·; Nighthawk is currently focusing on a series of completions and recompletions on six previously drilled wells
·; The objective of the current exercise is to assess new and existing horizons to build value and prove up the Jolly Ranch acreage
Update on Completion Operations
As previously announced, following a period of technical review, including the undertaking and analysis of Pulsed Neutron Logs, the current activity on the Jolly Ranch project is the completion and recompletion of a number of intervals in selected wells, as per the table below. Pulsed Neutron Logging bombards formations with neutrons and detects gamma rays from the resulting interactions. It is rapidly becoming a complete stand-alone, cased-hole evaluation logging method. These measurements assist in the evaluation of porosity and the location of bypassed oil zones.
This work reflects the ongoing development of test production and completion exercises to help establish the optimum horizons and completion techniques to unlock value across the Jolly Ranch project.
The current operations will see the following wells either re-perforated and treated in previously completed zones or perforated and treated in new horizons.
Well | Completion Activity |
Craig 4-33 | Lower Atoka - acidise existing perforations Upper Atoka - acidise existing perforations Cherokee A - perforate and acidise |
Williams 10-27 | Lower Atoka - multiple new perforations and acidisations |
John Craig 7-2 | Upper Atoka - multiple new perforations and acidisations Cherokee C - reperforation and acidisation Cherokee A - new perforation and acidisation Fort Scott - multiple new perforations and acidisations |
Craig 12-33 | Lower Atoka - acidise existing perforations Cherokee A - new perforation and acidisation |
Craig 15-34 | Keyes - multiple new perforations and acidisations Cherokee A - new perforation and acidisation |
Craig 8-1 | Awaiting interpretation and review of Pulsed Neutron Log |
The results of these operations will be evaluated and used to plan further completion exercises involving the use of artificial fracturing and completion consultants with experience of working on shale oil projects.
In addition, an internal technical assessment is currently being undertaken to assess the potential to drill in the Northern section of the acreage held at Jolly Ranch, the Middle Mist area, with a coiled tubing unit to target the shallower Niobrara formation.
Whilst there is as yet no firm plan to drill this well, it could form part of the previously announced drilling campaign which is anticipated to commence in the next few months. The use of a coiled tubing unit would permit a quick and cost effective method of testing the Cretaceous aged Niobrara shale formation, which is currently the target of numerous wells in the Northern part of the Denver-Julesburg Basin.
Jolly Ranch Well Status
The status of the wells on Jolly Ranch is as follows
Well | Previously Reported Status | Current Status |
John Craig 7-2 | Testing | In current completion programme |
Craig 4-4 | Test production | Test production |
Craig 4-33 | Test production | In current completion programme |
Craig 6-4 | Testing | Test production |
Craig 6-4 SWD | Waiting on completion | Salt water disposal |
Craig 7-34 | Awaiting recompletion | Awaiting recompletion |
Craig 8-1 | Awaiting recompletion | In current completion programme |
Craig 10-28 | Testing | Test production |
Craig 12-28 | Testing | Test production |
Craig 12-33 | Test production | In current completion programme |
Craig 15-32H | Test production | Test production |
Craig 15-34 | Awaiting recompletion | In current completion programme |
Craig 16-32 | Test production | Test production |
Jolly Ranch 2-1 | Awaiting recompletion | Awaiting recompletion |
Jolly Ranch 4-13 | Awaiting recompletion | Awaiting recompletion |
Jolly Ranch 10-1 SWD | Salt water disposal | Salt water disposal |
Jolly Ranch 10-5 | Test production | Test production |
Jolly Ranch 16-1 | Awaiting recompletion | Awaiting recompletion |
Williams 10-27 | Awaiting recompletion | In current completion programme |
Production Updates
The Company intends to provide end of quarter updates on production volumes on an ongoing basis. These figures will represent production net to Nighthawk, including deductions for Royalty and State Production Taxes. Production figures for the quarter ended December 2010 will be issued once they have been fully compiled by the Company's accounts team, which is expected to be in approximately six weeks time.
Tim Heeley B.Eng (Hons) a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Fellow of the Geological Society of London and a Chartered Energy Engineer, who is CEO of Nighthawk and has over 14 years of experience in the hydrocarbons industry, has approved the technical information contained in this announcement.
Enquiries:
Nighthawk Energy plc Tim Heeley, Chief Executive Mike Thomsen, Executive Chairman |
020 3405 1982 +1 720 344 5154 |
Westhouse Securities Limited Tim Feather Matthew Johnson | 020 7601 6100 |
Matrix Corporate Capital LLP Louis Castro James Pope | 020 3206 7000 |
Financial Dynamics Ben Brewerton Ed Westropp | 020 7831 3113 |
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