Trading Symbol: NWX (TSX-V)
VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2020 /CNW/ - Newport Exploration
Ltd ("Newport" or "the Company") is pleased to report on highlights
of Beach Energy Ltd.'s ("Beach") Report for the Half Year ended
31st December, 2019, as reported in a news release by
Beach on 11th February, 2020. The highlights
reported in this news release relate to production and drilling
activities on licenses in the Cooper Basin, Australia over which the Company has a 2.5%
Gross Overriding Royalty ("GOR").
Beach Report - Highlights
Beach drilled 20 oil development wells on ex PEL 91, with a 100%
success rate.
- All wells were successfully cased and suspended as future
producers.
- 12 horizontal oil development wells were drilled across the
Bauer, Kalladeina, Chiton and Congony fields in ex PEL 91. All four
fields are being appraised.
- Bauer-39 initial production at greater than 2,000bpd.
- Several new well locations identified.
- Infrastructure approved to support increased production.
Appraisal Drilling on ex PEL 91
At the Bauer field, appraisal drilling activity added new oil
production wells.
Field extensions have been identified in both the northern and
southern parts of the field.
A phase 2 appraisal program is planned at Bauer to further
resolve the structural extent of the field.
Bauer-39 was the longest horizontal well drilled in the field to
date with a McKinlay section of 1517m
in length with a 90% reservoir. Beach anticipate a 30 day Initial
Production rate of greater than 2,000bopd on pump.
Bauer-39 indicated a lifted McKinlay structure in the south-east
of the field.
Beach have dedicated an exploration rig to further appraise the
Kalladeina/Congony fields.
Updated Reserves are to be reported at the end of Beach's
FY2020, incorporating new development, appraisal and production
data.
Development Drilling on ex PEL 91
Development drilling will target maintaining/increasing oil
output in the second half of Beach's FY2020 with 10 additional
lateral McKinlay wells at Bauer.
Beach propose to increase the use of horizontal drilling to
optimize field development.
Western Flank Gas (ex PEL's 106, 107 and 91)
Beach report first half FY2020 production of 1.1MMboe, up 8%
from the first half of FY2019.
Two successful wells were completed in FY2019.
Beach report that the inventory of wells is sufficient to keep
the plant full for the next 12-18 months.
Beach propose to increase/optimize condensate output from the
recently connected Lowry well that has a condensate gas ratio of
50bbl/MMscf.
On ex PEL 106 (Udacha) appraisal and development wells are
planned in FY2021 to maintain deliverability into the Middleton gas facility.
On ex PEL 107 a drilling campaign is planned for FY2021.
Infrastructure Development
Following the successful appraisal drilling program at Bauer,
Beach have approved additional work (estimated at ~AUD$30M) to
include further artificial lift installations, water handling and
intra-field flow lines and roads in order to support higher oil
production rates beyond FY2020.
Guidance
With the success of the drilling programs conducted by Beach for
both oil and gas permits over which the Company holds its 2.5% GOR,
the Company anticipates continuity of production and associated
royalty revenues. The Company has a strong balance sheet with no
debt and management is confident in its ability to maintain regular
quarterly dividend payments.
The Company receives its GOR from Beach, which is not a
reporting issuer in Canada,
therefore Newport is not able to
confirm if the disclosure satisfies the requirements of NI 51-101 -
Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities, or other
requirements of Canadian securities legislation.
The Company continues to strongly encourage shareholders and
potential investors to access information released independently by
Beach and Santos Ltd to keep current during exploration,
development and potential production of all the licenses subject to
the Company's GOR. Shareholders and potential investors may also be
interested in Equity Research Reports on Beach such as those
prepared by RBC Capital Markets.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the accuracy or
adequacy of this news release.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
This news release is intended to provide readers with a
reasonable basis for assessing the future performance of the
Company. The words "believe", "should", "could", "expect",
"anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "plan", "intends",
"continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "schedule" and
similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements may pertain to assumptions regarding
Beach's drilling plans, the price of oil and fluctuations in
currency markets (specifically the Australian dollar).
Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and
assumptions that, which are considered reasonable by the Company,
are inherently subject to business, economic and competitive
uncertainties and contingencies. Factors include, but are not
limited to, the risk of fluctuations in the assumed prices of oil,
the risk of changes in government legislation including the risk of
obtaining necessary licences and permits, taxation, controls,
regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, Australia or other countries in which the
Company carries or may carry on business in the future, risks
associated with developmental activities, the speculative nature of
exploration and development, and assumed quantities or grades of
reserves. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are
not guarantees of future performance. There can be no assurance
that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results
and future events could differ materially from those acknowledged
in such statements.
The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent
required by applicable laws.
SOURCE Newport Exploration Ltd.