Kodiak Oil & Gas Provides Operations Update
March 05 2007 - 7:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
DENVER, March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kodiak Oil & Gas
Corp. (Amex: KOG; TSX Venture: KOG), an oil and gas exploration and
production company with assets in the Green River and Williston
Basins, today provided an interim update on its drilling program in
the Vermillion Basin in Wyoming and in the Williston Basin in North
Dakota. Vermillion Basin-Sweetwater County, Wyoming The Company
announces early results for the NT Federal #1-33 well (100% working
interest [WI] - Kodiak operated) in the Vermillion Basin in
southwest Wyoming. The well, located in Section 33, T14N, R100W
reached a total depth of 14,500 feet in late January 2007. After
fracture stimulation of the over pressured Frontier (one stage) and
Baxter (eight stages) formations, the well was turned to sales in
early March. The well tested at rates of approximately 2.0 million
cubic feet per day of natural gas and has been producing on various
choke sizes at between 1.0 and 2.0 million cubic feet per day into
the sales line. The well was initially flowed back and cleaned out
during the second week of February; however, at that time a
significant amount of formation water was being produced. Based
upon a subsequent production log, the water appeared to be coming
primarily from the Frontier Formation and a bridge plug was set
above the Frontier to shut off the water. The same production log
indicated that approximately 28% of the gas production was also
coming from the Frontier Formation, which has now been plugged off.
Based upon early interpretation and results from wells drilled in
the Vermillion Basin to date, it appears that Kodiak's fracture
stimulation procedures have intercepted a nearby fault and the
water is presumably coming from a lower formation and not the
Frontier. As such, the Frontier will continue to be a primary
target for continued exploration effort. Completion operations
continue on Kodiak's North Trail-State #4-36 well (100% WI - Kodiak
operated), which reached a total depth of 14,338 feet in late
December 2006. The well has been fracture stimulated in nine
separate stages with temporary plugs set between each stage. While
drilling out the plugs in the fourth stage, the Company encountered
equipment failure, which is expected to be resolved later this
month. Subject to completion, this well is expected to be turned to
sales at that time. Eight permits have recently been approved by
the Bureau of Land Management for the 2007 drilling program in
Wyoming. A drilling contractor has been selected and drilling
should commence on the next Baxter Shale/Frontier Sand well in
approximately 30 days. Kodiak intends to drill five wells in the
immediate vicinity of the two above-noted wells. In addition two
step-out locations will spud later in the year to determine the
productive potential across other parts of the leasehold. The
Company is fully funded for its 2007 drilling program. Williston
Basin-North Dakota and Montana Mission Canyon/Red River Projects -
Sheridan County, Montana and Divide County, North Dakota The Larsh
#2-13 well (50% WI - Kodiak operated), located in Sheridan County,
Mont., which evaluated the Red River Formation to a depth 11,200
feet, was placed on production in early February. The well
initially flowed at a rate of 232 barrels of oil per day (BOPD)
from the Red River B and C Formations and through the end of
February had cumulative production of 2,849 BO. This well is
scheduled to be put on pump in the second quarter of the year. The
well was based upon 3-D seismic that was acquired during 2006.
Subject to continued production results, the Larsh #2-13
establishes development locations that are currently being
permitted and will be drilled later this year. Additionally the
Company has other seismic leads to evaluate during 2007 as it owns
a 50% working interest under 21,807 gross acres in the immediate
area. Kodiak plugged and abandoned the CT #14-9 well (50% WI -
Kodiak operated), approximately three miles east, which was a step
out well for the Lowell Field where Kodiak has four existing wells.
The well was drilled to a total depth of 7,748 feet to evaluate the
Mission Canyon Formation. The Company is permitting a location on
its Great Bear Prospect in Divide County, N. D. where the primary
target is the Red River Formation at an approximate depth of 11,000
feet. The #11-10 Drawbond well (approximate 40% WI - Kodiak
operated) is expected to be drilled during the second quarter of
2007. The location of the #11-10 Drawbond well was developed based
upon the results of the #14-9 Pederson well, drilled in late 2005,
and a new interpretation of the seismic data. Management Comment
Commenting on the Company's progress, Lynn Peterson, Kodiak's
President and CEO said: "We are pleased that the drilling of the
first two Vermillion wells indicates the potential presence of gas
in the over-pressured Baxter and Frontier formations over a
significant portion of the our leasehold. However, we are
disappointed that completion operations on our first two Vermillion
Basin wells have taken longer that we originally expected and our
completion costs have exceeded our original estimates. Had our
completion work gone more efficiently, we believe that the initial
production rates from the wells most likely would have exceeded our
announced rates. We recognize that every emerging play has a
learning curve and we will reevaluate all of our drilling and
completion work prior to embarking on our 2007 drilling program.
This play will require a great deal of time and effort to fully
recognize its potential for large quantities of gas, which are
known to be in place from other drilling activity. We are excited
to continue our 2007 drilling program, which will continue to
evaluate the potential of additional leasehold." He added, "The
Williston Basin continues to provide the Company with a growing
cash flow. Our exploration efforts here continue to pay off as we
can continue to evaluate opportunities identified by 3-D seismic.
We believe that this basin holds significant potential for the
Company. Beginning in April 2007 we anticipate dedicating a rig
here throughout the year." About Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. Kodiak
Oil & Gas, headquartered in Denver, is an independent energy
exploration and development company focused on exploring,
developing and producing oil and natural gas in the Williston and
Green River Basins in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. For further
information, please visit http://www.kodiakog.com/. The common
shares of the Company are listed for trading on the American Stock
Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KOG."
Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes statements
that may constitute "forward- looking" statements, usually
containing the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or
similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not
always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates,"
"believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and
similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would,"
"may," "could" or "should" occur. Information inferred from the
interpretation of drilling results may also be deemed to be
forward-looking statements, as it constitutes a prediction of what
might be found to be present when and if a well is actually
developed. Forward-looking statements in this document include
statements regarding the Company's exploration, drilling and
development plans, the Company's expectations regarding the timing
and success of such programs and the Company's expectations
regarding the future production of its oil & gas properties,
and the Company's expectations regarding the Company's revenues in
future periods. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the
prices of oil and gas, uncertainties inherent in estimating
quantities of oil and gas reserves and projecting future rates of
production and timing of development activities, competition,
operating risks, acquisition risks, liquidity and capital
requirements, the effects of governmental regulation, adverse
changes in the market for the Company's oil and gas production,
dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in
the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
DATASOURCE: Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. CONTACT: Mr. Lynn A.
Peterson, President, Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp., +1- 303-592-8075;
Mr. David Charles, EnerCom, Inc., +1-303-296-8834; Ms. Heather
Colpitts, Account Manager, CHF Investor Relations, +1-416-868-1079,
Ext.223
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