SDX Energy PLC SOUTH DISOUQ DRILLING AND IY-2 WELL SPUD (3854D)

TIDMSDX

RNS Number : 3854D

SDX Energy PLC

29 June 2021

29 June 2021

SDX ENERGY PLC ("SDX", the "Company" or the "Group")

COMMENCEMENT OF DRILLING OPERATIONS IN SOUTH DISOUQ AND SPUDDING OF IY-2 WELL

SDX Energy Plc (AIM: SDX), the MENA-focused energy company, is pleased to announce the commencement of the South Disouq drilling campaign, which will comprise two wells over the next few months.

Mark Reid, CEO of SDX, commented:

"After our previous highly successful campaigns at South Disouq where we have achieved five discoveries from seven wells drilled, I am excited to announce the commencement of our next phase of drilling. The IY-2 step-out development well was successfully spud and we anticipate that, upon completion, it will be rapidly tied into our existing infrastructure and begin production in Q3 2021. In addition, the planning for the potentially transformational HA-1X exploration well on our Hanut prospect continues, with spud expected in mid Q3 2021. This gross 139bcf prospective target, which has a 33% chance of success, has the potential to significantly transform the resource profile of the Company and we look forward to updating the market further as the well progresses."

South Disouq Drilling Campaign:

The upcoming drilling campaign will consist of one step-out development well and one exploration well in the Company's operated South Disouq (SDX: 55%WI) acreage in Egypt.

The first well, IY-2, which spud on 28 June 2021, is a development well targeting the high porosity and permeability Basal Kafr El Sheikh reservoir at approximately 6,600ft in the Ibn Yunus Field. The well, which will take approximately one month to drill, can be rapidly tied into the existing infrastructure at the nearby IY-1X well with production anticipated to start in late Q3 2021. It is expected that the IY-2 well will maximise recovery from the Ibn Yunus Field and help to maintain current gross production levels of c.45mmscfe/d at the South Disouq Central Processing Facility. The Company expects to update the market on the result of this well in late July/early August.

The second well in the campaign, the HA-1X exploration well on the Hanut prospect, is expected to spud after the completion of IY-2 in early August. HA-1X, which is targeting gross unrisked mean recoverable volumes of 139bcf with a 33% chance of success is also expected to take approximately one month to drill and the Company expects to update the market on its result in mid-September.

About SDX

SDX is an international oil and gas exploration, production, and development company, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with a principal focus on MENA. In Egypt, SDX has a working interest in two producing assets: a 55% operated interest in the South Disouq gas field in the Nile Delta and a 50% non-operated interest in the West Gharib concession, which is located onshore in the Eastern Desert, adjacent to the Gulf of Suez. In Morocco, SDX has a 75% working interest in five development/production concessions, all situated in the Gharb Basin. The producing assets in Morocco are characterised by attractive gas prices and exceptionally low operating costs. SDX has a strong weighting of fixed price gas assets in its portfolio with low operating costs and attractive margins throughout, providing resilience in a low commodity price environment. SDX's portfolio also includes high impact exploration opportunities in both Egypt and Morocco.

For further information, please see the Company's website at www.sdxenergy.com or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com .

Competent Persons Statement

In accordance with the guidelines of the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange, the technical information contained in the announcement has been reviewed and approved by Rob Cook, VP Subsurface of SDX. Dr. Cook has over 25 years of oil and gas industry experience and is the qualified person as defined in the London Stock Exchange's Guidance Note for Mining and Oil and Gas companies. Dr. Cook holds a BSc in Geochemistry and a PhD in Sedimentology from the University of Reading, UK. He is a Chartered Geologist with the Geological Society of London (Geol Soc) and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG-11983) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG).

For further information:

 
 SDX Energy Plc 
  Mark Reid 
  Chief Executive Officer 
  Tel: [phone] 
 Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) 
  Callum Stewart 
  Jason Grossman 
  Ashton Clanfield 
  Tel: [phone] 
 Peel Hunt LLP (Joint Broker) 
  Richard Crichton 
  David McKeown 
  Tel: [phone] 
 
  Camarco (PR) 
  Billy Clegg/Owen Roberts/Violet Wilson 
  Tel: [phone] 
 
 

Glossary

 
 "bcf"        billion cubic feet 
 "mmscfe/d"   million standard cubic feet 
               equivalent per day 
             ---------------------------- 
 

Forward-looking information

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or are not statements of historical fact should be viewed as forward-looking information. In particular, statements regarding the volumes of unrisked prospective resources being targeted in the Company's 2021 drilling campaign should be regarded as forward-looking information.

The forward-looking information contained in this document is based on certain assumptions, and although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to them, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because SDX can give no assurances that they may prove to be correct. This includes, but is not limited to, assumptions related to, among other things, commodity prices and interest and foreign exchange rates; planned synergies, capital efficiencies and cost - savings; applicable tax laws; future production rates; receipt of necessary permits; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services.

All timing given in this announcement, unless stated otherwise, is indicative, and while the Company endeavours to provide accurate timing to the market, it cautions that, due to the nature of its operations and reliance on third parties, this is subject to change, often at little or no notice. If there is a delay or change to any of the timings indicated in this announcement, the Company shall update the market without delay.

Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks and uncertainties (both general and specific) that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward - looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, but are not limited to, political, social, and other risks inherent in daily operations for the Company, risks associated with the industries in which the Company operates, such as: operational risks; delays or changes in plans with respect to growth projects or capital expenditures; costs and expenses; health, safety and environmental risks; commodity price, interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; permitting risks; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws and environmental regulations. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive and are advised to refer to the Principal Risks & Uncertainties section of SDX's Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2020, which can be found on SDX's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com , for a description of additional risks and uncertainties associated with SDX's business.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is as of the date hereof and SDX does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward -- looking information, except as required by applicable law. The forward -- looking information contained herein is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Oil and Gas Advisory

Certain disclosures in this news release constitute "anticipated results" for the purposes of National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators because the disclosure in question may, in the opinion of a reasonable person, indicate the potential value or quantities of resources in respect of the Company's resources or a portion of its resources. Without limitation, the anticipated results disclosed in this news release include estimates of volume, flow rate, production rates, porosity, and pay thickness attributable to the resources of the Company. Such estimates have been prepared by Company management and have not been prepared or reviewed by an independent qualified reserves evaluator or auditor. Anticipated results are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including those described above and various geological, technical, operational, engineering, commercial, and technical risks. In addition, the geotechnical analysis and engineering to be conducted in respect of such resources is not complete. Such risks and uncertainties may cause the anticipated results disclosed herein to be inaccurate. Actual results may vary, perhaps materially.

Use of the term "boe" or the term "MMscf" may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A "boe" conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 bbl and a "Mcf" conversion ratio of 1 bbl: 6 Mcf are based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.

Prospective Resources Data

The prospective resources estimates disclosed or referenced herein have been prepared by Dr. Rob Cook, a qualified reserves evaluator, in accordance with the SPE's Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and in accordance with NI 51-101. The prospective resources disclosed herein have an effective date of 1 January 2021. Prospective resources are those quantities of gas, estimated as of the given date, to be potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations through future development projects. As prospective resources, there is no certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered. The chance that an exploration project will result in a discovery is referred to as the "chance of discovery" as defined by the management of the Company.

There is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources discussed herein; though any discovery that is commercially viable would be tied back to the Company's Central Processing Facility at South Disouq, Egypt. Based upon the economic analysis undertaken on any discovery, management has attributed an associated chance of development of 100%.

There are uncertainties associated with the volume estimates of the prospective resources disclosed herein, due to the level of information available on prospective resources, but ranges are defined based on data from the Company's nearby existing analogous wells. Some of the risks and uncertainties are outlined below:

   --      Petrophysical parameters of the sand/reservoir; 
   --      Fluid composition, especially heavy end hydrocarbons; 
   --      Accurate estimation of reservoir conditions (pressure and temperature); 
   --      Reservoir drive mechanism; 
   --      Potential well deliverability; and 

-- The thickness and lateral extent of the reservoir section, currently based on 3D seismic data.

This announcement does not contain inside information.

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June 29, 2021 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)