Oilbarrel Newsletter 23rd August 2012

Oilbarrel Weekly Roundup 15th - 23rd August 2012 Weekly Review The 54th Oilbarrel.com Conference scheduled for September 13 at the Merchants Taylor Hall in the heart of the City of London in Threadneedle Street will be something of a watershed for our company. Petroceltic International, a regular presenter at Oilbarrel, spoke at our July meeting and is now due to talk at the September 13 gathering.  This will the first time a group has presented successively at Oilbarrel.  Brian O’Cathain the CEO of Petroceltic contacted me over week ago saying, although the Petroceltic had been at the July meeting, they would like to present again, for reasons “that would become obvious.” The reasons did indeed become obvious when Petroceltic announced that it had made an agreed £170 million bid for fellow London quoted, Edinburgh-based Melrose Resources to create an oil and gas group with a significant presence in North Africa plus exploration upside in the Black Sea and Kurdistan. There’s little obvious synergy between the companies: Dublin-based Petroceltic is a high impact explorer with a world class gas discovery in Algeria to develop, while Melrose is a solid producer in Egypt and Bulgaria with a rather mixed exploration record. But that misses the point of this tie-up: Petroceltic needs to access a big pot of cash to fund its share of the giant Ain Tsila gas-condensate field in Algeria, and Melrose, with its solid production and reserves-based lending history, has allowed the Dublin company to land a new £300 million loan facility from HSBC, Melrose’s current lender. The merger took industry watchers by surprise, but Tom Hickey, corporate development director of Petroceltic and now the CFO of the enlarged group did hint that something might be afoot when he spoke at the July  OIlbarrel.com conference for Petroceltic. He alluded then to innovative thinking on the commercial front to fund Ain Tsila. It was clear the AIM quoted company was thinking outside the box to fund a project that sees it punching above its weight among industry heavyweights in Algeria. Hickey, the former CFO at Tullow oil as it made its stellar trajectory from AIM tiddler to FTSE super-independent, is used to deal making that uses the astute use of debt to fund growth. The market reaction to the deal was muted, however, as investors seemed to mull over what seemed a lean deal for Melrose shareholders and a surprise for Petroceltic shareholders who appeared to be expecting news of a “Big Oil“ Algerian farm- in. The companies have given briefing to the institutions. The September meeting will give Petroceltic a chance to reach the broader audience that Oilbarrel conference represents with not only its institutional analysts, brokers and fund managers but also its high worth retail investors and industry professionals. Other presenters include Roxi Petroleum, a first timer. The AIM- listed company is focused in Kazakhstan where other small cap companies like Max Petroleum and Jupiter Energy have flourished. Roxi has involvements in large licence areas and is hoping to have a number of wells in production by the end of 2012. Neil Ritson has presented at Oilbarrel before, when he was CEO of Regal Petroleum, some time back. More recently, he has talked for Leni Gas & Oil for which he remains CEO. On September13 he will be speaking for Solo Oil, where he is also CEO. Solo has recently been in the news over its activities in Tanzania where it is junior partner (25 per cent) to Aminex’s operated Ntorya-1 wildcat well offshore. As it happened Aminex’s new CEO Stuard Detmer presented at the July conference and said that the positive flow test of the Ntorya well demonstrated the “strong commercial potential” of the discovery. We should hear more about this in September. Solo also has interests in Canada and Argentina. Hassan Hassan of Simba Energy has spoken at Oilbarrel before, but this was back in 2010. The TSX-Venture listed start-up joined the oil rush in Africa by securing the first hydrocarbon reconnaissance licence in Liberia, a 1,366 sq km block that covers the entire onshore extent of the Roberts-Bassa Basin. This is untested territory without a single well or seismic line, although there are extensive oil seeps. Since then the Vancouver-based explorer has added to their portfolio of Africa interests, most significantly with a 100 per cent interest in Block 2A in Kenya. This seems to be a coup for Simba since Kenya is now one of the hottest exploration areas in the industry following Tullow Oil’s break through Ngamia oil strike earlier this year. Hassan should be able to elaborate on all this. Other presenting companies are expected to be announced soon, so please check our website (www.oilbarrel.com as if you didn’t know) regularly for updates. 54th Oilbarrel Conference Thursday 13th September 2012 Sponsored By: Thursday 13th September 2012 Merchant Taylors Hall 30 Threadneedle Street London, EC2R 8BJ Presenting Companies Include: Solo Oil Roxi Petroleum Simba Energy Petroceltic International Click Here to Register or contact support@oilbarrel.com Latest News News: August 23, 2012 Caza Oil & Gas Seeks To Regain Investor Confidence With Key Well In New Mexico It’s been a difficult 12 months or so for Caza Oil & Gas. A run of disappointing well results, most notably last year’s high impact Arran duster in Louisiana, and the ongoing weakness in US gas prices have put the share price under pressure. But the second half of 2012 could mark the start of a recovery for the AIM- and TSX-quoted E&P Full story... Features: August 22, 2012 Poweralternatives:Maple Energy Spans Peru’s Energy Chain, From Ethanol Production To Shale Gas Exploration To Oil Production These are exciting times for Maple Energy, the Peru-focused energy group. The AIM-quoted company has projects across the energy chain, including bioenergy, conventional oil production, shale gas exploration and refining, in a country that, unlike the contracting Eurozone, is enjoying something of a boom, with GDP growth of 6.9 per cent last year and a sovereign risk rating among the lowest in Latin America. Full story... News: August 22, 2012 Xcite Energy Reports Progress On Its Key Extended Well Test At Bentley AIM and TSE Venture listed Xcite Energy no longer seems to be the glamour stock it was back in the day, as the current buzz phrase has it. The day it was back in was some time late in 2010 when its share price had finally surged more 700 per cent as the 9/03-6z well demonstrated that heavyâ€"10 to 12 degree API crude oilâ€"discovered on the Bentley oilfield in the North Sea was more than capable of delivering commercial flow rates; the well showed the reservoir had high porosity, high permeability and high productivity with the maximum flow rate of 2,900 bopd beating pre-drill guidance. Full story... News: August 21, 2012 Magnolia Petroleum’s £10 Million Facility Opens Up A Raft Of Possibilities Very small interests in a large number of wells has characterised AIM listed Magnolia Petroleum during its short history, with its strategy of diversifying risk with limited funds allowing it to increase reserves and establish early production. Full story... News: August 21, 2012 PetroNeft Resources Begins Its Second Development In Russia It has been a difficult couple of years for PetroNeft Resources, which has seen its share price eroded by the disappointing performance of its flagship project in Russia. Offsetting the serial disappointments of the Lineynoye oilfield in Western Siberia, where production is running at 2,000 bpd, far short of earlier guidance, are the discoveries made on Licences 61 and 67. Full story... News: August 20, 2012 As The Weather Co-Operates, Silvermere Energy Is On Cusp Of First Production From Its Mustang Island Field It’s taken a little longer than anticipated but oil and gas start-up Silvermere Energy is on the cusp of first production. The AIM-quoted company had hoped to bring its gas-condensate redevelopment project onstream last year but delays with the platform construction meant load out and installation would have to compete with worsening weather conditions. So in December 2011, the team took the decision to avoid costly downtime and shelve further development until Spring 2012, a move that prompted a sharp sell-off in the shares. Full story... News: August 20, 2012 Kea Petroleum Hails Early Test Results From Puka-1 Oil Discovery As Mauku-1 Spud Is Back On The Books For 2012 Some good news for Kea Petroleum, which has seen early encouraging results from its Puka-1 discovery well in New Zealand’s Taranaki Basin. During initial clean up flow, the well flowed up to 290 barrels of oil per day and up to 2.2 million cubic feet per day of gas. The oil is excellent quality with an API of 43.7 degrees. Production has now been suspended to allow a pressure build and the well will then be retested, with the company expecting higher flow rates. Full story... News: August 17, 2012 Petroceltic International Thinks Outside The Box As It Bids £170 Million For Melrose Resources To Land £300 Million Credit Facility For Ain Tsila In a move that took industry watchers by surprise, Petroceltic International today made a £170 million bid for Edinburgh’s Melrose Resources to create an oil and gas group with a significant presence in North Africa plus exploration upside in the Black Sea and Kurdistan. The market reaction was muted as investors mulled what seemed a rather lean deal for Melrose shareholders and something of a surprise for Petroceltic holders, who had been expecting news of a Big Oil farm-in in Algeria: shares in Melrose eased to 134 pence by afternoon trading while Petroceltic was down seven per cent at 7.6 pence. Full story... Market Overview: August 17, 2012 Speculation Abounds On Possible Signals Provided By The Current Brent / WTI Spread Signs of growth in the US economy and an unexpected fall in American oil stocks last week, combined with good housing data had traders feeling confident about future prospects. This news injected some momentum into the market, but the rally was short-lived. In early trading on Friday, Brent crude was priced above US$113 with WTI edging close to US$95 a barrel. Full story... News: August 16, 2012 Tangiers Petroleum Bags Further Acreage Offshore Australia As Farm-Out Talks Continue For Its Existing Frontier Projects When Mark Ceglinski, chairman of AIM-quoted Tangiers Petroleum, appeared at oilbarrel.com earlier this year, he made it clear that the frontier explorer with the supersized prospects was scouting for additional blue sky opportunities. Now the start-up, which is also listed on the ASX, has made good on that promise, having won a large permit in the waters off Australia’s Northern Territory. Full story... News: August 16, 2012 Petro Matad Discards Its 2012 Drilling Programme To Make Preparations For A Successful 2013 Season For larger companies with a wide range of assets and a successful history, an exploration disappointment can be quickly forgotten with new drill results, development progress and higher production moving the market’s attention on to something else. Junior companies, operating on threadbare budgets with fewer assets and opportunities to correct its mistakes, are forced into a state of extended purgatory and it is here Petro Matad has existed since it met stubborn resistance at Davsan Tolgoi in 2011. The company is obviously more cautious now and there have been several management changes since its review of the 2011 drilling programme, but Davsan olgoi retains its allure and Petro Matad is far from giving up on the licence just yet. Full story... Press releases August 23, 2012 - Archipelago Resources Plc Toka East Drill Results August 23, 2012 - London Mining Plc OPERATIONS UPDATE AND FINANCIAL REVIEW August 23, 2012 - Bullabulling Gold Limited Bullabulling Infill Drilling Results -... August 23, 2012 - Wolf Minerals Limited Appendix 3B August 23, 2012 - PMI Gold Corp Significant Drilling Intersections at Kubi... August 23, 2012 - PMI Gold Corp First Phase Drilling Completed at Fromenda... August 22, 2012 - Scorpio Mining Corporation Scorpio Mining Intercepts 1.64 Meters of... August 22, 2012 - Aureus Mining Inc Issue of new common shares August 22, 2012 - London Mining Plc INVITATION TO INTERIM RESULTS August 22, 2012 - EMED Mining Conditional Placing to Raise £3.5 million August 22, 2012 - Marengo Mining Limited Boardroom Radio Broadcast - Marengo... August 22, 2012 - Horizonte Minerals Plc Excellent results -Preliminary Economic... August 22, 2012 - Kingsrose Mining Limited Board Changes August 22, 2012 - Mwana Africa plc SEMHKAT agreement August 21, 2012 - Great Panther Silver Limited Great Panther Purchases Surface Rights for... August 21, 2012 - Syndicated Metals Limited New Copper Gold Exploration Program August 21, 2012 - Sunrise Resources Plc Project Update August 21, 2012 - Galileo Resources Plc Director Appointment and Board Change August 21, 2012 - Landore Resources Inc Half Yearly Report August 21, 2012 - Mwana Africa plc SEMHKAT agreement August 21, 2012 - Marengo Mining Limited Marengo Acquires PNG Port Area for Yandera... August 21, 2012 - Bullabulling Gold Limited Tim Netscher to join Bullabulling Board -... August 21, 2012 - First Majestic Silver Corp Updated Del Toro NI 43-101 Technical... August 21, 2012 - Kootenay Silver Inc. Kootenay Silver Announces Results of... August 21, 2012 - Lonmin Plc Statement on Marikana and Covenants August 20, 2012 - EMED Mining Completion of US$5m Equity Subscription by... August 20, 2012 - Northern Iron Corp Northern Iron receives dewatering permit... August 20, 2012 - Colossus Minerals Inc. Colossus Minerals Provides Update on... August 20, 2012 - Pan African Resources PLC Evander Gold Mines Acquisition Update August 20, 2012 - Red Rock Resources Plc Placement and Equity Swap August 20, 2012 - Tertiary Minerals Plc Lassedalen Fluorspar Project August 20, 2012 - Stratex International Plc West Africa Update August 20, 2012 - Afferro Mining Inc. Filing of new NI 43-101 Technical Report... August 17, 2012 - Baobab Resources Plc Appointment of Non - Executive Director August 17, 2012 - Latin Resources Limited Trading Halt August 17, 2012 - PMI Gold Corp PMI Gold Set To Complete Acquisition Of... August 17, 2012 - Cabo Drilling Corp Cabo Drilling Corp. Awarded Labour... August 17, 2012 - ECR Minerals Plc Issue of Equity August 17, 2012 - Merrex Gold Inc Merrex Gold Corporate Update August 16, 2012 - Galileo Resources Plc Award of PEA of Glenover RE Project August 16, 2012 - Ortac Resources Ltd Update on Sturec Project PFS and Drilling... August 16, 2012 - Stratex International Plc Interim Results August 16, 2012 - Mincor Resources NL Full Year Results 30 June 2012 August 16, 2012 - Resolute Mining Ltd Reserves and Resources Statement June 2012 August 16, 2012 - Wolf Minerals Limited Appendix 3B August 16, 2012 - First Majestic Silver Corp First Majestic Recognized as a Leader in... August 15, 2012 - Great Basin Gold Limited Great Basin Gold Announces Results to June... August 15, 2012 - Pelangio Exploration Pelangio Exploration Closes Private... August 15, 2012 - Anglesey Mining Plc IMS and LIM first quarter results August 15, 2012 - Conroy Gold and Natural Resources Plc Appointment of Joint Broker August 15, 2012 - Orosur Mining Inc Announces Exploration and Development Update August 15, 2012 - Petra Diamonds Limited Guidance Update August 15, 2012 - Orosur Mining Inc Announces Results for the Full year Ended... August 15, 2012 - Red Rock Resources Plc Macalder Tailings Project Update August 15, 2012 - Zincox Resources Plc Production Update August 15, 2012 - Kibo Mining Plc Restoration - Kibo Mining Plc August 15, 2012 - Cluff Gold Plc Cluff Gold plc: H1 and Q2 2012 Results August 15, 2012 - Marengo Mining Limited High Grade Drilling Results from Yandera... August 15, 2012 - Resolute Mining Ltd Notice of Shares Bought Back and Cancelled August 15, 2012 - Marengo Mining Limited High Grade Drilling Results from Yandera... August 15, 2012 - Endeavour Mining Corporation Endeavour Mining granted Mining Permit for... August 15, 2012 - Forum Uranium Corp Forum Commences Summer Exploration Program... August 14, 2012 - Radius Gold Inc. Radius Gold closes sale of Nicaraguan... August 14, 2012 - Serabi Mining Plc Interim Results for the 6 months to 30... August 14, 2012 - Caledonia Mining Corp 2012 Second Quarter and Half Year Results August 14, 2012 - Centamin Plc Results for the quarter ended 30 June 2012 August 14, 2012 - Anglo Pacific Group Plc Interim Results August 14, 2012 - Horizonte Minerals Plc Interim Results and Management and Discussion August 14, 2012 - Central Asia Metals Plc Transaction in Own Shares August 14, 2012 - Cluff Gold Plc Cluff Gold plc: Further Drilling Results... August 14, 2012 - Perseus Mining Ltd Ore Reserves Upgrade at Edikan Gold Mine Don't forget to visit our other website

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