http://www.oilbarrel.com/news/display_news/article/ascent-resources-sees-sidetrack-upside-in-hungary-but-partner-problems-force-another-delay-in-italy/963.html
OILBARREL January 28, 2009
Ascent Resources Sees Sidetrack Upside In Hungary But Partner Problems Force Another Delay In Italy
Last year, as markets tanked around the world and E&P companies found themselves short of cash, investors in AIM-listed Ascent Resources took comfort from the fact that their company had just started to enjoy a steady revenue stream from the PEN-104 gas well in the Nys permits in eastern Hungary. Ascent has a 45.23 per cent share of the well, which came onstream in August 2008 and by year-end was producing at a stabilised rate of just over 3 million cubic feet per day. This was very welcome news given that the AIM firms cash position was looking rather thin, if not anorexic.
But one month into the new year and the PEN-104 well has been shut in pending repairs to a compressor at the gas processing facility. This work is not expected to be completed until March. This disruption to production and revenues is unwelcome given that the companys balance sheet had only just started to digest this healthy new source of funding.
There is an upside, however, as the hiatus in production has provided the company with an opportunity to undertake a 450 metre sidetrack of the well, a procedure that should increase the potential recoverable gas and reduce water production. The PEN-104 joint venture, which includes DualEx (37.5 per cent), Geomega (8 per cent), Leni Gas & Oil (7.27 per cent) and Swede Resources (2 per cent), aims to have the sidetracked well ready for production by the time the processing facility and associated pipeline are back in operation in March.
This sidetrack is just one option open to Ascent and its partners as they seek to extract maximum value from the mature Penzlek field, which lies on the Romanian border and was previously operated by state firm MOL. It produced around 3.5 billion cubic feet in the 1980s and is reckoned to have remaining reserves of 19.4 bcf in the Miocene and an additional 2.3 bcf in the Pannonian sands. New 3D seismic acquired in 2008 has highlighted other development opportunities, including the sidetracking of the PEN-102 well, which was drilled by Ascent in 2007, the re-drill of PEN-9 and PEN-12, and a new well south of PEN-12. This work programme could see the possibility of the field supporting five producing wells in the medium term. With much of the infrastructure already in place, this is potentially a valuable development," said chief executive Jeremy Eng.
There is further upside in this part of Hungary, with the company in November starting the acquisition of a new 3D seismic shoot over the Pan-handle area in the western portion of the Nys Szatm permits. This 12 sq km area lies to the south of the Hajd-1 gas discovery made by London-listed JKX last year and some 70 km north-west of Ascents PEN-104 well. Ascent has a 17.5 per cent interest in this exploration project, which is chasing down look-alikes of the Penzlek field. The Nys Szatm project area has very similar in characteristics to the PEN-104 well development.
This is all good news and will help offset investor disappointment that the long-awaited spud of the Gazzata-1 well in Italy has, again, been delayed. Gazzata-1 is targeting an 8 sq km gas prospect, as defined on the seismic, with a possible 100 bcf-plus gas resource. Investors have been keen for the company to drill up this promising structure in Italys Po Valley but the company has been stymied here by its farm-in partner Otto Energy, which in December asked Ascent to hold off drilling the well until after mid-March. This was the second such request from ASX-listed Otto, which has been grappling with production problems on its Galoc field in the Philippines that have weakened its financial position. Otto hopes the field will be back in production some time next month. Ottos farm-in terms in the Po Valley mean Ascents costs would be carried for this high impact well, making it all the more appetising for investors, who will be keen to see the well spudded sooner rather than later given the deterioration in its Australian partners finances.