Nighthawk Energy plc Update re Operations and Year-end Reserves (8937W)

TIDMHAWK

RNS Number : 8937W

Nighthawk Energy plc

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

NIGHTHAWK ENERGY PLC

("Nighthawk" or "the Company")

Company Update

Nighthawk, the US focused oil development and production company (AIM: HAWK and OTCQX: NHEGY), announces an update to operations, year-end reserves and cash position.

Year-end Reserves Update

The Company has finalized its year-end reserve report and has received the audited Proved Developed Producing reserve report from the Company's independent reserve engineering firm, Ryder Scott Company LP under SPE standards. The reserves were estimated using current production, anticipated decline curves, actual operating costs and future NYMEX prices ranging from $56.11 to $58.10

The reserve volumes, in barrels, are presented below:

 
                                                       31-Dec-16   31-Dec-15 
                                                                     Audited 
                                       -------------------------  ---------- 
 Proved Developed Producing (PDP)                      1,101,144   1,405,800 
 Proved Undeveloped (PUD)                                442,063           0 
                                       -------------------------  ---------- 
     Total Proved Reserves (audited)                   1,543,207   1,405,800 
 
 Probable Reserves                                      1,800,00   1,423,015 
 Possible Reserves                                       545,000     807,000 
     Total 3P reserves                                 3,888,207   3,635,815 
                                       =========================  ========== 
 

Although the Company did not perform an audit of Probable and Possible Reserves at 31 December 2016, it is management's opinion that the reserve amounts shown above accurately reflect the Probable and Possible reserve values as of 31 December 2016. The increase in Probable Reserves from 31 December 2015 is primarily due to improved response estimates and reclassification of reserves from the Possible Reserves classification due to the commencement of the water flood pilot project. The methodology used by the Company to arrive at 31 December 2016 Probable and Possible reserves is the same methodology as its independent reserve engineering firm.

The increase from prior year total Proved Reserves is due to reserves associated with Proved Undeveloped category which were deemed uneconomic at 2015 year-end pricing. Based upon current pricing as of 31 December 2016, certain PUDs are now economic and have therefore been included in the above table. The decrease in Proved Developed Producing, which is net of 2016 annual production of 482,119 gross barrels, is due to annual production consistent with expected normal decline curves.

Operations update

Water flood

As reported on 3 January 2017, the Company has commenced injection into both of the water flood pilot project injection wells. It is anticipated that as the injected water fills existing pore volume, consistent with normal nature of water flood projects, a measurable response will be seen. The Company expects this response to be during the second quarter 2017. As such, the incremental volumes expected from the water flood pilot project have not been included in the PDP reserves above but remain as Probable Reserves at the year-end. Once adequate response and evidence is seen as to the response, the reserves are expected to begin being reclassified to PDP.

Production

Total production for the month of January 2017 was approximately 43,595 gross (35,544 net) barrels as compared December 2016 production of 35,985 gross (28,885 net) barrels. The increase in production since December 2016 is due to the successful completion of a new zone in the Monarch 10-15 well, together with bringing wells back in production that were suspended during the installation of the water flood pilot project.

Year-end Cash Balance

As of 31 December 2016, the Company's cash balance was US$5.6 million, of which approximately US$1.2m is committed for expenditure on the Arikaree Creek water flood pilot project. Total expenditures for the water flood pilot project are estimated to total $3.5 million. Based upon current projections, the Company will have adequate cash reserves to maintain its current normal operating activities through 2017.

Chuck Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of Nighthawk, who has over 33 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and meets the criteria of qualified persons under the AIM guidance note for mining and oil and gas companies, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this announcement.

Enquiries:

 
 Nighthawk Energy plc 
 Rick McCullough, Chairman              [phone] 
 Kurtis Hooley, Chief Financial 
  Officer                          [phone] 
 
 Stockdale Securities Limited      [phone] 
 Richard Johnson 
 David Coaten 
 

Glossary

NYMEX - the New York Mercantile Exchange

Proved Reserves - Proved reserves are reserves that have a 90% chance of being higher than estimated and a 10% chance of being lower. Proved reserves include PDP, PDNP and PUD reserve classifications

PDP - Proved Developed Producing reserves are expected to be recovered from completion intervals (oil producing zones) that are open and producing at the time of the estimate

PDNP - Proved developed reserves that can be expected to be recovered from zones behind casing in existing wells, or from zones that shut-in for market conditions, pipeline connections or mechanical reasons and are capable of production, but the timing is uncertain.

PUD - Reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion or opening of new zones of production.

2P - Proved and Probable Reserves

3P - Proved, Probable and Possible Reserves

Probable Reserves - Probable reserves are reserves that have a 50% chance of being higher than estimated and a 50% chance of being lower

Possible Reserves - Possible reserves are reserves that have a 10% chance of being greater than estimated and a 90% chance of being smaller

SPE - The Society of Petroleum Engineers

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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February 15, 2017 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)