JKX Oil & Gas PLC Trading Update (6536T)

TIDMJKX

RNS Number : 6536T

JKX Oil & Gas PLC

05 July 2018

05 July 2018

LEI: 213800AS2I1XUAGQ6F27

JKX Oil & Gas plc

("JKX", the "Company" or the "Group")

Trading Update

 
                                     Q2      Q1       Q on       H1      H1       Y on 
                                                        Q                           Y 
                                                     % Change                    % Change 
                                    2018    2018                2018    2017 
 Total production (boepd(1) 
  )                                 8,707   8,749    (0.5)%     8,728   8,598     1.5% 
 Ukraine (boepd)                    3,585   3,396     5.6%      3,491   3,766    (7.3)% 
 - Average gas production 
  (MMcfd(2) )                       16.7     16       4.4%      16.3    18.3     (10.9)% 
 - Average oil and condensate 
  production (boepd)                 805     738      9.1%       772     718      7.5% 
 Russia (boepd)                     5,030   5,263    (4.4)%     5,146   4,654     10.6% 
 - Average gas production 
  (MMcfd)                           29.8    31.2     (4.5)%     30.5    27.6      10.5% 
 - Average condensate production 
  (boepd)                            57      58      (1.7)%      58      50       16.0% 
 Hungary (boepd)                     91      90       1.1%       91      178     (48.9)% 
 - Average gas production 
  (MMcfd)                           0.51    0.50      2.0%       0.5     1.0     (50.0)% 
 - Average condensate production 
  (boepd)                             7       9      (22.2)%      7      12      (41.2)% 
 

Average Group production in the first half of 2018 was 8,728 boepd, 1.5% higher than in the first half of 2017.

Ukraine

Gas production in the first half of 2018 was 10.9% lower than in the first half of 2017 partly due to natural decline, while oil production in the first half of 2018 was 7.5% higher than in the first half of 2017 partly due to two successful electrical submersible pump installations. Production of gas and oil was 4.4% and 9.1% higher respectively in the second quarter of 2018 than in the first quarter of 2018 due to the production enhancement programme started in late 2017. Recent production enhancement activities include the following:

-- Workover of the state owned well R3 in the Rudenkivske license was successfully completed in June and the well currently has a stable production rate of 6.6 MMcfd with a wellhead pressure of 1,229 psig on a 40/64th" choke.

-- Workover of the M158 sidetrack (completed in March) in the Molchanivske license was successfully completed in April, resulting in an initial stable production rate of 0.5 MMcfd of gas and 106 barrels of oil per day.

-- Workover of the state owned well R22 in the Rudenkivske license, was also successfully completed in April, achieving an initial production rate of 1.0 MMcfd.

-- Workover of the state owned well EM52 in the Elizavetivske license was successfully completed in May and the well is producing 0.8 MMcfd of gas.

-- A new well, E308 in the Elizavetivske license, was drilled to a depth of 2,939m (expected target depth is 3,005m).

-- NN10, a leased well close to the boundary of the Ignativske and Rudenkivske licences has been successfully worked over with perforating expected to commence shortly.

Planned activity for the third quarter includes workover of R11, a leased well in the Rudenkivske license, to follow up the successful R3 workover. It is also planned to workover WM215, a leased well in the West Mashivske license, and IG131 in the Ignativske license.

Rental Fee Demands

The Notes to consolidated financial statements contained in the 2017 Annual Report (page 122) set out the details regarding Rental Fee Demands. In relation to one of the 2015 PCC Rental Fee claims, the Company has now been informed that a hearing has been set down for 25th July 2018. This claim relates to additional tax liability and associated penalties of approximately UAH64m (US$2.4m).

Russia

Production was 10.6% higher in the first half of 2018 than in the first half of 2017 due to well 25 having been offline in the first half of 2017. Production was 4.4% lower in the second quarter of 2018 than in the first because of declines in wells 20 and 25. To increase gas production it is planned to acidize wells 25 and 27 in July. A rig tender is in progress to find a suitable rig to workover well 5, repair well 20 and workover well 18. If successful, workover of wells 5 and 18 would increase the producing well stock from 4 to 6 wells.

Hungary

The process of divesting the Company's assets in Hungary is ongoing.

The Company's half year results will be issued on 30th July 2018.

(1) boepd - Barrels of oil equivalent per day

(2) MMcfd - Million cubic feet per day

This announcement contains inside information as defined in EU Regulation No. 596/2014 and is in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of that Regulation.

ENDS

   JKX Oil & Gas plc                              [phone] 

Ben Fraser, CFO

   EM Communications                          [phone] 

Stuart Leasor, Jeroen van de Crommenacker

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July 05, 2018 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)