President Energy PLC Louisiana Update (9683D)

TIDMPPC

RNS Number : 9683D

President Energy PLC

15 October 2018

15 October 2018

PRESIDENT ENERGY PLC

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

Louisiana Update

President Energy (AIM: PPC), the upstream oil and gas company with a diverse portfolio of production and exploration assets, provides details of an addition to its Louisiana portfolio of interests.

Jefferson Island acquisition

President announces that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Meridian, it has acquired and signed a lease with the Louisiana authorities for a 693-acre production block known as Jefferson Island (the "Island") in Iberia and Vermillion Parish, South Louisiana. The bonus paid to the State of Louisiana for the lease was US$175k. Meridian will be the operator of the Block in which it will be a 20% participant in consortium with other non-operator holders.

Jefferson Island, with currently plugged and abandoned wells, is one of five famous salt dome islands in South Louisiana and has in the past been a prolific oil producer having first produced oil some 90 years ago. Salt domes contain an abundance and a variety of traps created by salt movement and the association with evaporite minerals that can provide excellent sealing capabilities. The Island is conveniently located within a manageable distance from President's other assets in the area.

President and its partners take the view that there remains significant undrained low risk potential in this sizable area with the first stage to reprocess with the latest technology some 36 square miles of 3D seismic previously acquired over the Island. With several leads already identified it is anticipated that a four well drilling programme will commence sometime towards the end of Q2 2019 lasting through the year with each well being some 2,500 metres deep and having an estimated dry hole cost of US$1.5 million, completed US$2 million (net US$300,000 and US$400,000 respectively). It is anticipated that President's share of the costs will be met out of President's existing and/or extended resources.

Hydrocarbons can be efficiently produced, tied in to existing facilities and transported to market. Previous wells drilled in the Island have generated initial production of up to 400 bopd of good quality oil with compelling economics. The operations can be conducted without any significant change in existing local or Group G&A.

Once the seismic reprocessing has taken place, President will update the market in the New Year on potential reserves and provide more information on the forthcoming drilling programme.

Peter Levine, Chairman and Chief Executive commented:

"The low risk Jefferson Island opportunity complements our existing cash flow positive Louisiana assets, can be managed without material incremental cost and maintains President's philosophy of being operator of our assets . In particular the asset has, in our view, substantial upside which would have an impact to our USA assets in 2019 in the context of both production and reserves.

"I especially wish to acknowledge the significant positive contribution of our country manager, Scott Daspit, and his team as well as Neal Ryan at Nola Oil and Gas for his assistance in bringing home the Jefferson Island project."

Contact:

 
 President Energy PLC 
  Peter Levine, Chairman, Chief Executive 
  Rob Shepherd, Group FD                       [phone] 
 finnCap (Nominated Advisor & Joint 
  Broker) 
  Christopher Raggett, Scott Mathieson         [phone] 
 BMO Capital Markets (Joint Broker) 
  Jeremy Low, Tom Rider                        [phone] 
 Camarco Financial PR 
  Billy Clegg, Jane Glover, Violet Wilson      [phone] 
 

Glossary

Bopd - barrels of oil per day

Scf - standard cubic feet

Notes to Editors

President Energy is an oil and gas company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (PPC.L) primarily focused in Argentina, with a diverse portfolio of operated onshore producing and exploration assets. The Company currently has independently assessed 1P reserves in excess of 15 MMboe and 2P reserves of more than 27 MMboe.

The Company has operated interests in the Puesto Flores and Estancia Vieja Concession, Rio Negro Province, in the Neuquén Basin of Argentina and in the Puesto Guardian Concession, in the Noroeste Basin in NW Argentina. The Company is focused on growing production in the near term in Argentina. Alongside this, President Energy has cash generative production assets in Louisiana, USA and further significant exploration and development opportunities through its acreage in Paraguay and Argentina.

One of President Energy's largest shareholders is the IFC, part of the World Bank Group and is actively pursuing value accretive acquisitions of high quality production and development assets in Argentina capable of delivering positive cash flows and shareholder returns. With a strong institutional base of support and an in-country management team, President Energy gives UK investors rare access to the Argentinian growth story combined with world class standards of corporate governance, environmental and social responsibility.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7 of Regulation 596/2014

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

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October 15, 2018 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)