The tiny Irish stock on the brink of landing 'the first' post-sanction oil deal in Iraq. Ref 'Fleet Street Letter' 12-04-04..

For all PET holders info.

Terry Macalister
Thursday July 29, 2004
The Guardian

Petrel Resources, a small London-listed company, will tomorrow submit final proposals for a $750m (411m) scheme to start production from three new oil fields in Iraq.
It expects to hear by the end of August whether it will become the first western oil firm to work in Iraq since the end of Saddam Hussein's regime.

It has already effectively beaten off oil major Shell, which had a look at the tender documents but decided the contracts were not profitable enough.

John Keeling, the chairman of Petrel, said last night that the other western oil companies had been chased away by security scares and political risk.

"The big companies have backed off because they are not sure how things are going to pan out. They cannot send their own staff because they can't get insurance for them. They would be wide open to attack because there is a lot of bitterness towards the US and Britain," said Mr Keeling.

Petrel stands a chance of success, he believes, because it is listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London but is actually based in Dublin. It has also been actively involved in Iraq for many years and employs mainly local staff.

Petrel is already in detailed technical discussions with the Iraqi oil ministry on the first of three tenders submitted for the Khurmala Dome, Hamrin, and Subba and Luhais fields.

The combined output from these fields could be as high as 420,000 barrels a day, and when operating would have a "lifting" cost of just $1 a barrel

Two out of the three fields have never been developed before, while the third in the south of the country was bombed and badly damaged during the war.

Petrel says it might be valued at only 25m on the stock market but could easily raise cash for the oilfield development work.

Petrel's "Irishness" is a plus, according to Mr Keeling, because it is regarded as being politically neutral. He explained: "When [managing director] David Horgan last went to Iraq, he wore a bright green Irish rugby jersey. The Iraqis were all asking 'who is that lunatic?'"

dexter01,

IMHO, Sudan is seen as an insurance policy, if you like, in case Iraq falls ill in favour. I am not saying that PET will discard Sudan if Iraq is a goer, but the main prize is Iraq.

You need to remember that Sudan is no safe haven either, much political unrest, a country where the government hire Arab militia to murder their own people, according to western media.

Going into August, perhaps at the last stage of the race now. Will they get the contract or not? August is going to be an interesting month for all PET holders, I feel that one way or another we will finally Know, IMHO the news is going to be positive!!

Chartist2004 are you still in this?

This has been posted on iii investor board, & HOPEFULLY it's true!!!!(Well the part about Petrel anyway)

From the Boston Globe

About that 'good news' out of Iraq
August 5, 2004

JEFF JACOBY made my day by letting me know that the news in Iraq isn't all bad (op ed, Aug. 1).

Notwithstanding the almost daily killing and maiming of civilians and our troops, civic order is replacing chaos and drivers now stop when a traffic cop raises his hand.

And the Iraqi government will no longer spend the nation's riches on developing destructive and illegal weapons of mass destruction (which I suspect Bush and Jacoby are still hopeful of finding).

And, oh joy, weddings have increased by 75 percent since the fall of Saddam. But best of all, three oil contracts are expected to be awarded to the Irish firm Petrel by the end of August.

All this as we continue to accomplish our mission there.

I am sure that all this good news will be of great comfort to the family of the last American to die in Iraq.

MURRAY SWERDLOVE
Framingham

Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.


If the above is indeed true, we shall be jumping for joy at the end of August, the only question then will be - "How high can the Petrel stock go?"

Good luck to all holders

Tokyo

Here is the link to the story, lets hope (a) it's true & (b) it is picked up by an English newspaper

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2004/08//05/about_that_good_news_out_of_iraq/

Been Picked up by the Telegraph today

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/08/08/cnptrel08.xml&menuId=242&sSheet=/money/2004/08/08/ixcity.html

MM

Here's to a glorious summer/winter champagne all around me thinks

this looks like the first contract of the three that all of us PET's have been awaiting....tomorrow morning will be very interesting even if there is no definate contract announcement it should really fly

GO PET GO

This board should really start to heat up over the next month!!!

Like you all I have my fingers and everything else crossed for PET

Good luck to all holders

Tokyo

morning all,
this article is just a reworking of previous news,the writer is doing what journalists do best,hype.having said that i think PET will win at least one contract,this article was picked up from boston globe,which in turn told me in ane-mail that their source was newsarabia,when i checked the article it was about a month out of date.
this telegraph article should push the price up this week.
good luck,
dexter

It's not even 8am and it's already up 44%.
Don't feel the article was a rework as the CEO was quoted with new info in yesterdays article. Again you only have his word, but my gut tells me that this is real and PET are the favourites for the tender, Why else would Iraq be asking all these technical questions.

All of course IMHO

Good luck all

Tokyo

i e-mailed petrel this morning and recieved this reply,
"we`re in level2 detailed technical discussions involving the ministry,petrel,and our suppliers.
it is an intense process in challenging circumstances.we plan to be in baghdad as soon as these technical transfers are complete for negotiations"
just thought i`d share with you all.
dexter

that's good news is it not?

at least it`s straight from the horses mouth,but what is a level 2 discussion?

i suppose it is 1 above level 1

For you guys : press mention which will appear in tomorrow's Daily Mail.

Beyond the Footsie: Monday close
9 August 2004, This Is Money

Petrel Resources ended 8 1/2p higher at 50 1/2p, after it confirmed it is in talks with the Oil Ministry in Iraq over tenders to develop existing oilfields. At this point no contract has been awarded to the firm, but it remains very positive.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, industry executives believe that a decision has already been taken by the Iraqi energy minister to hand contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the small Irish-based company and its partners.

http://www.thisismoney.com/20040809/nm81252.html

Thanks SH, just passed the link to those over the road that have not yet spotted it.

Sue Helen are you in this too? Could be a classic case of great minds think alike or idiots never differ. Only time is gonna tell on this!!!

Best of luck all

Tokyo

morning all,
whatever happens with these contracts,the steady stream of press they are getting is doing no harm to us that bought in jan/feb of this year or before. with three companies short-listed for three contracts and petrel do seem to be getting more involved with the technical side,the odds are very good of getting at least one contract.failing that you could sell now and make a very healthy profit.
just my early morning thougthts,

dexter

I've just read the above article, buy why is the share price down today??? is'nt suppose to be going up!!!!!