Calgary, June 13, 2023: Valeura Energy Inc. (TSX:VLE) (“Valeura” or the “Company”), the upstream oil and gas company with assets in the Gulf of Thailand and the Thrace Basin of Turkey, is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Nong Yao field infill drilling campaign and recent increases in oil production.
Valeura has drilled two horizontal infill wells on its Nong Yao oil field at Licence G11/48 in Thailand, in which the Company holds a 90% operated working interest. Drilling operations were executed safely, below budget, and ahead of schedule. The wells encountered approximately 1,000 and 700 ft of net oil pay in their horizontal sections, respectively, confirming pre-drill reservoir simulation results. The wells have come onstream as oil producers at a combined initial gross rate of approximately 1,350 bbls/d.
The impact of the new Nong Yao wells, in addition to contributions from the Company’s Jasmine oil field drilling programme earlier in 2023, has resulted in aggregate oil production rates from the Company’s portfolio during the 11 days of June averaging 23,700 bbls/d (net to the Company’s working interest), an increase of approximately 16% over average Q1 2023 rates from the four assets.
The Borr Mist drilling rig is now on location at the Manora oil field where the Company plans to drill three wells aimed at increasing production from the field and by extension, adding to the economic life of the asset. Upon completion of operations at Manora, anticipated in early August 2023, the rig will move to the Wassana field for the Company’s five-well infill drilling programme.
Sean Guest, President and CEO Commented
“Our Nong Yao drilling campaign has been a success and the results bolster our investment thesis that our assets offer the potential to add further value through increased production and new reserve additions through targeted infill drilling. I am pleased with the team’s safety performance in executing the programme and their commitment to efficient operations as evidenced by a strong cost and schedule outcome. To capitalise on this momentum, we have adjusted our drilling schedule such that we will now utilise only one rig to execute all our drilling plans in 2023. This change constitutes an important operational synergy between the former Mubadala Energy assets and the KrisEnergy assets. As we continue to integrate the businesses we have acquired in Thailand, we are identifying more opportunities for efficiency gains as a further way to add value for our stakeholders.”
For further information, please contact:
Valeura Energy Inc. (General Corporate Enquiries) +1 403 237 7102
Sean Guest, President and CEO
Yacine Ben-Meriem, CFO
Contact@valeuraenergy.com
Valeura Energy Inc. (Investor Enquiries) +1 403 975 6752 / +44 7392 940495
Robin James Martin, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations
Auctus Advisors LLP (Corporate Broker to Valeura) +44 (0) 7711 627 449
Jonathan Wright
Valeura@auctusadvisors.co.uk
CAMARCO (Public Relations, Media Adviser to Valeura) +44 (0) 20 3757 4980
Owen Roberts, Billy Clegg
Valeura@camarco.co.uk
About the Company
Valeura Energy Inc. is a Canada-based public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas in Thailand and in Turkey. The Company is pursuing a growth-oriented strategy and intends to re-invest into its producing asset portfolio and to deploy resources toward further organic and inorganic growth in Southeast Asia. Valeura aspires toward value accretive growth for stakeholders while adhering to high standards of environmental, social and governance responsibility.
Advisory and Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain information included in this news release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking information is for the purpose of explaining management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “target” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to: the ability to add production and extend the economic life of the Manora oil field; the timing of future rig moves and drilling plans; the ability to add further value through increased production and new reserve additions; and the ongoing integration of the businesses acquired in Thailand and potential to identifying more opportunities for efficiency gains.
Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and assumptions regarding, among other things: political stability of the areas in which the Company is operating; continued safety of operations and ability to proceed in a timely manner; continued operations of and approvals forthcoming from governments and regulators in a manner consistent with past conduct; future drilling activity on the required/expected timelines; the prospectivity of the Company’s lands; the continued favourable pricing and operating netbacks across its business; future production rates and associated operating netbacks and cash flow; decline rates; future sources of funding; future economic conditions; the impact of inflation of future costs; future currency exchange rates; interest rates; the ability to meet drilling deadlines and fulfil commitments under licences and leases; future commodity prices; the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; royalty rates and taxes; future capital and other expenditures; the success obtained in drilling new wells and working over existing wellbores; the performance of wells and facilities; the availability of the required capital to funds its exploration, development and other operations, and the ability of the Company to meet its commitments and financial obligations; the ability of the Company to secure adequate processing, transportation, fractionation and storage capacity on acceptable terms; the capacity and reliability of facilities; the application of regulatory requirements respecting abandonment and reclamation; the recoverability of the Company’s reserves and contingent resources; future growth; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; the impact of increasing competition; the ability to efficiently integrate assets and employees acquired through acquisitions; global energy policies going forward; future debt levels; and the Company’s continued ability to obtain and retain qualified staff and equipment in a timely and cost efficient manner. In addition, the Company’s work programmes and budgets are in part based upon expected agreement among joint venture partners and associated exploration, development and marketing plans and anticipated costs and sales prices, which are subject to change based on, among other things, the actual results of drilling and related activity, availability of drilling, offshore storage and offloading facilities and other specialised oilfield equipment and service providers, changes in partners’ plans and unexpected delays and changes in market conditions. Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking information involves significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Exploration, appraisal, and development of oil and natural gas reserves and resources are speculative activities and involve a degree of risk. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company including, but not limited to: the ability of management to execute its business plan or realise anticipated benefits from acquisitions; the risk of disruptions from public health emergencies and/or pandemics; competition for specialised equipment and human resources; the Company’s ability to manage growth; the Company’s ability to manage the costs related to inflation; disruption in supply chains; the risk of currency fluctuations; changes in interest rates, oil and gas prices and netbacks; potential changes in joint venture partner strategies and participation in work programmes; uncertainty regarding the contemplated timelines and costs for work programme execution; the risks of disruption to operations and access to worksites; potential changes in laws and regulations, the uncertainty regarding government and other approvals; counterparty risk; the risk that financing may not be available; risks associated with weather delays and natural disasters; and the risk associated with international activity. See the most recent AIF and MD&A for a detailed discussion of the risk factors.
Certain forward-looking information in this news release may also constitute “financial outlook” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Financial outlook involves statements about Valeura’s prospective financial performance or position and is based on and subject to the assumptions and risk factors described above in respect of forward-looking information generally as well as any other specific assumptions and risk factors in relation to such financial outlook noted in this news release. Such assumptions are based on management’s assessment of the relevant information currently available, and any financial outlook included in this news release is made as of the date hereof and provided for the purpose of helping readers understand Valeura’s current expectations and plans for the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on any financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes or in other circumstances and that the risk factors described above or other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from any financial outlook.
The forward-looking information contained in this new release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this new release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Additional information relating to Valeura is also available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including where such offer would be unlawful. This news release is not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Ireland, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which its publication or distribution would be unlawful.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
