http://www.falklands-oil.com/

http://www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk

http://www.argosresources.com/




Rockhopper was established in 2004 with a strategy to invest in and undertake an offshore oil exploration programme in the North Falkland Basin. It was floated on AIM in August 2005. Rockhopper was the first company to make a commercial oil discovery in the Falklands. Today Rockhopper is the largest acreage holder in the North Falkland Basin, with interests in the Greater Mediterranean region.

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=6933


Falklands-Malvinas
Monday, 19 December


Rockhoppers gearing up for drilling but the wait for a rig continues



Rockhopper Exploration is doing all the preparatory work it can as it waits for a rig to become available.


Mr. Sam Moody
Managing Director Sam Moody is in the Islands last week meeting with Government officials and getting to know the Falklands.
Rockhopper holds four exploration licences - two wrap around the Desire I and L tranches and two are in tranch B formerly held by Shell - and also has acreage in a 7.5% joint venture with Desire Petroleum in tranches C and B.

This is Mr Moodys first visit to the Falklands; he said, I really wanted to come down to understand all about the Islands and see what it was that you wanted to protect as well as what it is were trying to find.

Rockhopper is about to commence a 2D work programme in their southern-most licences, those that wrap around Desire I and L: We have a contract with GSI to operate the Admiral and were hoping to complete that work by February 15 when the fishing season starts.

Rockhopper is a partner of Desire in the upcoming drilling programme. Desire are the operator of that and weve farmed in to it. We are both working towards that drilling as far as we can, given that there is no available rig at the moment.

All you can do if youre in our position is get as ready as you can be and if a rig becomes available then you can act very quickly. But as for when that will be, I cant give you a definitive answer.

This preparatory work includes an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which Desire embarked upon early in the year in conjunction with consultants RPS Group plc. The EIA is expected to be published for public consultation in the New Year.

Rockhoppers other work is in the northern most licences in the area formerly held by Shell, which is adjacent to Argos acreage: Argos and ourselves are working closely together to try and organise a 3D survey.

As for the seismic data analysed so far, Mr Moody says it is encouraging. There is a lot more seismic data over the ex-Shell blocks than there are over licences 23 and 24 (in I and L). In those licences we have already identified one extremely attractive looking prospect and were going to collect additional seismic over that.

Clearly theres been no drilling that close to the Islands, all the drilling in 98 was further in the north, and in the ex Shell block which we now hold, it was the second well up there that recovered live oil to the surface.

So, I think were as confident as one can ever be in out and out exploration that theres a hydrocarbon in the basin; its really a question of whether or not one can find commercial viable quantities.(PN)

Falkland Islands contract

RNS Number:9886V
Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping PLC
21 December 2005


Press Release

For immediate release: 21 December 2005

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc heads for the Falkland Islands

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc ("OHM" or "the Company") has been awarded a
contract by Rockhopper Exploration plc, to conduct a Controlled Source
Electromagnetic Survey (CSEM) over a number of prospects including at least one
shallow water prospect in the North Falkland Basin.

This is one of OHM's first shallow water contracts since the Company formally
launched its shallow water CSEM service in November, and the first time that
CSEM will be used in the Falkland Islands. Until now, CSEM was most effective in
very deep waters, however OHM has designed a method that overcomes the technical
challenges of shallow water, and it can be used effectively in depths as shallow
as 50 metres.

The Falkland Islands Government has licensed exploration acreage to a number of
companies in water depths that range from 100 to 500 metres in the north and up
to 3,000 metres to the south and west of the Islands.

OHM's Chief Executive Officer, Dave Pratt, commented:

"Our shallow water service generated significant industry interest at the launch
last month and this early contract with Rockhopper Exploration is very pleasing.

"Given the relatively isolated nature of the Falklands, the highly variable
water depths and associated high costs of drilling, it is essential to
understand as much as possible about drilling prospects to minimize the risk of
dry wells. We will be applying leading edge CSEM techniques to Rockhopper's
prospects to help maximise their understanding."

Ends

For further information, please contact:
Dave Pratt, Chief Executive Officer, OHM Plc, 0870 429 6581
www.ohmsurveys.com

Aquila Financial Limited Peter Reilly 020 7849 3319
ohm@aquila-financial.com



Notes to Editors

OHM's survey method transmits an electromagnetic field into the earth, which is
modified by the presence of subsurface resistive layers. These changes in the
field are measured and the resulting data is processed to provide information on
the resistive structure of the subsurface.

Because hydrocarbon accumulations are generally very resistive, this method can
indicate the presence of oil and gas in water depths of as little as 50 metres
in certain circumstances, and can detect and map the edges of such
accumulations. This reduces the risk of drilling non-commercial exploration
wells and can reduce the need for appraisal drilling, thereby creating
considerable value for oil explorers.

The company listed on London's Alternative Investment Market in March 2004.

Our system posted a BUY CONFIRMED today.

http://www.britishbulls.com/StockPage.asp?CompanyTicker=RKH&MarketTicker=RESOURCES&Typ=S

OHM survey

By Upstream staff

Specialist electro-magnetic survey company OHM has secured its first shallow-water contract with an award from Rockhopper Exploration for a survey programme off the Falklands.
Due to start this month, the work is to be carried out over the North Falklands basin in water depths as shallow as 140 metres.

OHM's previous commercial work has been in water depths of at least several hundred metres, where the "air wave" problem for its controlled source technique does not present itself.

http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=3705&source=3

January 6, 2006
by Rockhopper Exploration

ROCKHOPPER EXPLORATION PLC

ELECTROMAGNETIC SURVEY INFORMATION NOTICE


Rockhopper Exploration plc will undertake an Electromagnetic Survey in the North Falklands Basin commencing Sunday 8th January 2006.


The survey will be undertaken by the research vessel "Aurelia", radio call sign 9HFI8 (NINE HOTEL FOX INDIA EIGHT). Depending on weather conditions the survey is expected to take around 20 days to complete. The Aurelia has a bright red hull and a white superstructure.


The Aurelia will place a number of receivers on the seabed along the length of the survey lines to be targeted at approximately 1-kilometre intervals. The receivers are left on the seabed for the duration of the survey period. When the receivers are in place on the seabed, the Aurelia will run towlines at 1.5 knots towing an electromagnetic source. This electromagnetic source is towed approximately 30 metres above the seabed, on an electro-hydraulic winch, approximately 100 metres astern of the vessel. On successful completion of the towlines the seabed receivers will be recovered by means of acoustic releasing mechanisms.

Looks like RKH have got there act together and are back on track and full steam ahead.

http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=3722&source=3

2D Seismic Survey Information Notice
January 15, 2006
by Lewis Clifton (Byron Marine)

ROCKHOPPER EXPLORATION PLC



2D SEISMIC SURVEY INFORMATION NOTICE





Rockhopper Exploration plc will undertake a 2D Seismic Survey in the North Falklands Basin commencing Monday 23rd January 2006.



The 2D seismic survey will be undertaken by the survey vessel GSI PACIFIC radio call sign HO3496 (HOTEL OSCAR THREE FOUR NINE SIX). Depending on weather conditions the survey is expected to take around 20 days to complete. The GSI Pacific has a dark blue painted hull and a white superstructure.



The GSI Pacific will tow a 6000 metre seismic production cable. The total offset from the rear of the vessel to the floating tail buoy, indicated by a flashing light, will be 6500 metres. The Survey Area to be targeted is bounded by the following coordinates

http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=3723&source=3

Repsol YPF, Enarsa Deal Good for Falklands Oil Exploration

RNS Number:9654W
Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping PLC
16 January 2006

Press Release

For immediate release: 16 January 2006

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping in Falkland Islands CSEM programme

Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc (OHM) is currently on location with the survey
vessel MV Aurelia in the North Falkland Basin conducting a shallow water
Controlled Source Electromagnetic Imaging (CSEM) survey for Rockhopper
Exploration plc. It is the first survey of this type to be conducted in the
Falkland Islands and will be keenly watched by the exploration industry, the
Falkland Islands Government and investors alike.

Dave Pratt, OHM's CEO said; "By undertaking CSEM surveys Rockhopper Exploration
are progressing exploration in the Falklands, de-risking their exploration
prospects ahead of any drilling programme and ultimately protecting their
shareholders interests.

"In remote locations such as the Falkland Islands OHM's CSEM imaging technology
is especially valuable. Mobilising exploration drilling rigs to such frontier
areas, especially at times of very high rig rates, is expensive. As the cost of
CSEM surveys is significantly less than drilling, exploration companies are able
to investigate many more prospects than would have been the case if drilling was
their only recourse"

The data acquisition programme is being conducted over a number of prospects in
water depths of approximately 150 to 500 meters, using one of OHM's specialised
survey crews and incorporating OHM's proprietary EM source and receiver systems.
Although this is the first survey of its kind in the Falkland Islands,
feasibility modelling has indicated that the anticipated reservoir scenarios
should give a significant EM response.

Before mobilising for a CSEM survey, the prospect's electromagnetic response is
calculated and used to assess the influence of local structure, for example salt
or volcanic bodies, on the outcome of a survey. The sensitivity to target
parameters such as reservoir thickness, resistivity and lateral extent is
examined and the resolution with which these parameters can be determined is
quantified. In cases where there are competing geological interpretations of
existing data, modeling is used to ascertain to what extent these can be
distinguished using CSEM surveying.

Finally, acquisition parameters are optimized for the defined survey objective.
The model results are used to determine the source tow and receiver array
geometries and source transmission frequencies that will provide the best
resolution of target structures and properties.

Only when the modeling process has been completed, can OHM confirm that the
technique will provide conclusive indication of the presence of resistive layers
consistent with hydrocarbon reservoirs in the prospects modeled.

Once the data is gathered and processed, there are a range of 1D, 2D and 3D
inversion algorithms that can be applied to the data along with OHM's innovative
diffusive E-field focusing (DEFF) imaging technique, which allows resistivity
volumes of the earth to be created.

Dr. Lucy MacGregor, OHM's Chief Scientific Officer commented:

"The North Falkland Basin is a new area for the application of the CSEM
technique and as the targets are in relatively shallow water depths, the survey
provides us with the opportunity to further demonstrate our recently launched
shallow water technique.

"As with all our surveys, we take great care in the survey planning and
modelling stage to ensure that the data we do acquire is relevant and capable of
being processed and interpreted to give our clients a meaningful answer."

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=7066

Good to see the SP go up at last

Falklands map

By Upstream staff

OFFSHORE Hydrocarbon Mapping is carrying out an electromagnetic imaging survey for Rockhopper Exploration in the North Falkland basin the first survey of its type to be conducted around the remote Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, writes Christopher Hopson.
The data acquisition programme is being conducted over a number of prospects in water depths of about 150 to 500 metres using the survey vessel MV Aurelia. The survey is likely to be keenly watched by the exploration industry, the Falkland Islands government and investors.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 January 2006 00:02 GMT | last updated: 20 January 2006 00:02 GMT

Got mail thanks marky. Much warmer tonight so far! :)

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 6 February 2006

Rockhopper Exploration plc

Falkland Islands survey programme update


Rockhopper Exploration plc ("Rockhopper") is pleased to give the following
progress report on its Falkland Islands exploration programme:

2D seismic survey: The GSI vessel, the GSI Pacific is now in the Falkland
Islands and has commenced the 2D seismic programme of approximately 900km over
Rockhopper's 100% licences PL023 and PL024.

The programme, which should take approximately 4 weeks, will add to the existing
1832km of 2D data covering licences PL023 and PL024 on which a number of
prospects and leads have already been identified.

Electromagnetic survey: Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc has completed the first
controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) survey over Rockhopper's "J1" prospect
in licence PL024. The survey vessel MV Aurelia has moved to the second survey
location.

The processing and interpretation of both the 2D and CSEM surveys is expected to
take approximately 3 to 4 months.

Pierre Jungels, Rockhopper's Executive Chairman commented: "Together with
existing information, the data gathered from the current seismic and CSEM
surveys will contribute significantly to our understanding of the exploration
potential of our Falkland Islands licences."


Ends

Hi All, I've just added this share to my watch list.... Price a little high I think at the moment but can see the potential.

explosive its as cheap as chips compared to the other oil companies out there.

RKH Market Cap 21.53m 2D and some 3D done also Farm in Partner with DES

BOR Market Cap 51.71m 2D

DES Market Cap 68.28m 2D and 3D done money in the bank waiting to for a rig to drill

FOGL Market Cap 144.53m 2D only

Take your pick

Mark,

It will be interesting to see what is driving the FOGL price upwards at the moment!

Its interesting why the price is sky high for FOGL when drilling has been put back another year to 2008 now and only 2D seismic been carried out and still not finished, its either a farm-in but I doubt that at this early stage so I will be polite and go with good PR .

But good luck to FOGL holders.

Mark,

Well they are normally quiet, so not sure about PR, you may be right.

The recent volume has been quite heavy, and for that reason I was wondering whether they are about to anounce some sort of JV or farminee arrangement.

I went around their chartroom a couple of months ago, and they said they were in active discussions with potential partners, and they had taked to many oil companies, including all of the majors.

The way I see it is, if any one of the prospectors around the Falklands has some success, it will rub off on the others, so any news is good for all IMO.

http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=3798&source=3

NORTH FALKLAND BASIN: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

By J. Brock (FINN)


Dr Colin Phipps, Chairman of Desire Petroleum plc, is visiting the Falkland Islands with Mr. Ian Duncan, Chief Executive of Desire Petroleum plc, Mr. John Perry, principle author of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Mr. Mark Gillard, a Drilling Engineer. On the evening of Wednesday, 22 February the team gave a presentation at the Chamber of Commerce and explained the main points of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which is on Desire plcs website.


Mr. Gillard said that Desire planned to drill three exploratory wells and he showed graphics that indicated how the wells would be drilled and how deep they would be. He said the project would take approximately 70 days, with supplies and personnel being ferried out to the rig using two supply boats. One boat would stay near the rig for Safety reasons.

Mr. John Perry of RPS Energy presented a very thorough set of slides that explained some of the impact issues, such as rig to air pollution, rig to water pollution, noise pollution. Assessments were also done with respect to seabirds, Marine Mammals and fish. The key points of the baseline study also dealt with Met-Ocean, Socio-economic issues, land and protected areas and species, as well as waste management. There would be no flaring, for example.

In mitigation, the assessment sought to reduce the impact to the environment to the lowest possible level.

Questions from those present dealt mainly with the drilling muds that are a necessity in the hydrocarbons industry. Mr. Perry reassured that only water-based non toxic muds would be used.


Several mechanisms have been in place since the 1997/98 drilling sessions in the North Falkland Basin. As in the past, EMS Standard Offshore Monitoring Protocol would be in place to ensure the environmental and safety aspects pointed out in the Environmental Impact Assessment would be carried out. Besides that, people with a keen interest in the environment pilots, scientists, fishermen you and I would be reporting any infringements.


The possibility of a users group was thought to be a good idea. Dr. Phipps said that since the Environmental Impact Assessment was published on the Desire website there had been some useful feedback that would be incorporated in methods and practices

http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=3798&source=3

"Have Rig Will Drill," Says Dr. Phipps .
February 23, 2006
by J. Brock (FINN)


During a brief run-down of the Geology of the North Falkland Basin in the tranches where Desire Petroleum want to do exploratory wells, Dr. Colin Phipps (CP) mentioned that the source rock was produced in the same way as it now is being produced in the Rift Valley in Africa. During an interview on Thursday morning, (FINN) asked Dr. Phipps to explain further about what makes the geology of the North Falkland Basin like that of the rift Valley in Africa.

CP: The African Rift Valley system, which runs pretty much through the hole of Eastern Africa right the way down towards Mozambique is very similar in style to the kind of rift valley structures that we are finding in the North Falklands Basin. At the time of formation the area was a part of Africa, so they started off being connected to Africa. The difference is that the structures we have in the North Falkland Basin are much earlier than the Rift Valley system we now se in Africa. And, they have been filled up the same. In Africa they are still being filled up but the structure that we had that created the source rock was a very large lake and it would have looked just like Lake Nyasa or Lake Tanganyika that you currently have in Africa. Given long enough, Lake Tanganyika, for instance, could well also provide a source rock. Its just that the sediments out in the North are 60 or 80 Million years older than are the rocks in Africa today that are filling up the lake system. But its a good analogy of the kind of structure that we have.

FINN: The chances of finding oil are very good here but you said in your presentation last night that you had more of a chance of finding oil that isnt commercially viable than a huge reservoir of commercially viable hydrocarbons.

CP: Last night I was asked, What were the chances of finding oil? And, I said the chances of finding oil, as such, were almost 100% because the Shell well, for instance, already found oil and it found gas. And, had it been onshore, say in the USA, it almost certainly would have been put on to production. It was good enough for that. The trouble was that it was drilled in the centre of the basin and it only entered thin, silted type sand, which means its got very small grains. And, the small grains mean that although it could be quite porous, its very difficult for oil to flow through it. There is more friction, if you like to think of it that way. The coarser the pours, the faster it flows. What we are really trying to do now is to find a reservoir of coarser sand, where the oil can flow through more easily. So rather than being able to produce 500 barrels a day, we are going to be able to produce 5,000 barrels a day. And, thats what we need to do out in the North Falkland Basin for it to be economical. Our big task is not so much finding oil, which we know to be there. What we are now trying to do is to find the reservoirs, which will give us the productivity, which will make it economic.

Its quite easy to have a big field with low productivity, which would be un-economic and exactly the same size of field with better productivity, which would be very economic. I should think thats probably the last major risk we are facing.

FINN: Given last nights presentation mentioned cooking. The drill, in the second shell well, it was said, was 2,800 metres down. I understand that hydrocarbons cook out at the deeper depths. Would you explain a bit about cooking and how it relates to the North Falkland Basin?

CP: What happens with the source rock is that the organic material, which gets laid down during the sedimentary process as that gets deeper and deeper and as more sediments pile on top of it two things happen. The pressure increases and the temperature increases. When that happens the organic materials start cooking. Basically its chemical changes, which create the oil, then the gas. The important thing is that the source rock has got to be mature for the production of oil and gas. It can be under-mature, which means it hasnt been cooked enough therefore oil and gas havent been properly formed or expelled. It can be over-mature, which means that its been pressed so far deep and its got so hot that it literally turns into black organic matter, which is solid and not liquid.


FINN: Like the pot going dry?


CP: Yes. Something like that. There is a very famous example of that here in the Islands the Black Shale from the Devonian, which is very high in organic matter and would at one time been a marvellous source rock. But it is now semi-metamorphic rock and is over-mature. The important thing is youve got to have the source rock at a depth where the temperatures and the pressures have been right not to under cook and not to over-cook. Its got to be mature and that is what weve got here in the North Falkland Basin. The upper part of it in the North Falkland Basin is under-mature but the bulk of it is mature.

FINN: Given the technology to drill down to the reserves why is it that only the two Shell wells only generated larger amounts of hydrocarbons, and not just indicators of hydrocarbons at various depths?

CP: Shell was actually the only company that actually drilled in the centre of the basin and drilled through indeed, only one well of theirs drilled through the source rock, which turns out to be very thick indeed. All the other wells drilled to try and see if there was shallower oil. We did find good reservoirs but because the source rock is so thick, the oil hadnt actually got through it into the shallow reservoirs. So, the other wells were not drilled in places where they could have found deeper reservoirs. Only the two Shell wells were drilled in that position in the sedimentary basin. Unfortunately for them, they were right in the centre of the basin where the sands were silted rather than sandy, which is now why we are looking at the edge of the basin, where we would expect the coarser sand. That is an area that has never been drilled.

FINN: The other areas where they drilled and found only indicators of hydrocarbons at various depths - why didnt they find anything?

CP: They never got below the source rock into the main basin. They literally just went through the source rock, straight into what we call basement, which is metamorphic rock, like what we have here ashore on the Islands. They were drilled off the development of this rift valley and were drilled on the tops or the summit of the rift valley, rather than closer to the centre.

FINN: What are the chances of somebody like Shell, who have drilled here before, coming back after the oil has been found and taking over where the exploratory process left off?

CP: Whether its Shell or whoever, I think the chances are quite high. What is happening in the international oil industry is mirroring what has already happened in the international mining industry.

Most of the big mining companies with very large reserves found a few years ago that they were spending a lot of money on exploration and not replacing their reserves or replacing the amount they were mining. They actually stopped almost all exploration and relied upon lots and lots of small companies exploring on the basis that it didnt matter then if there were only one in ten small companies who were successful. As soon as that small company was successful the big companies came along and either did a deal with them or took them over. This is beginning now to happen in the oil industry. A number of the major oil companies have truly replaced their reserves year by year in recent years. BP claim to have done so but really mainly because they have re-assessed some of the reserves they have already found. So those oil companies are now tending to move into the same sort of position, where they follow what the independents are doing in the smaller companies and either come in as partners or not. But that for them has the great advantage that they know that the success ratio will be almost 100% because they are coming to get something which has been discovered. I expect this trend to increase as the years go by.

FINN: In the public meeting and in the Chamber of Commerce liquefied natural gas was alluded to. What are the chances that the people here in the Falkland Islands could tap into that resource and at least get high quality diesel for use in heating systems and vehicles?

CP: This is a relatively new technology. Its called gas to liquids. We refer to it as GTL technology. It turns gas into diesel at a very high quality premium diesel because it doesnt have sulphur and other contaminants in it that diesel from crude oil has. So, it actually fetches a higher price on the market. There are now a number of GTL plants around the world but they are all onshore. Clearly, if we found gas in the North Falkland Basin and, indeed, Shell did find quite a bit of gas in one of their wells it would be quite possible to pipe it ashore to a GTL plant here and make premium diesel. That, of course, could be available to the local market. The price would depend on the sort of tax FIG and others might want to put on it but it would certainly be available. But also there is technology being developed the first one is in the planning stage where they are actually putting GTL plant on a floating production system like an FPSO out in deep water, where the tankers would come and take diesel off just in the same way they would take crude oil off.

If that were to be used in the Islands, you would have to have a dedicated tanker that every now and then went out and filled up with diesel and came back here. Its much as you have a tanker coming in now to Stanley Services every so often providing the fuels, which you use.

FINN: So, its not impossible to do this?

CP: Its entirely possible why not?

Why not, indeed? Its up to someone here to keep an eye on the technology and get a business going. That business depends on the rig and Dr. Phipps assures us that if there is an appropriate rig available, he will use it.

Rockhopper completes Falklands surveys

By Upstream staff


UK minnow Rockhopper Exploration has completed a 2D seismic survey and a controlled-source electromagnetic survey (CSEM) over its Falklands Islands licences.

The 920 kilometre 2D seismic survey, which was carried out by the Geophysical Services' vessel GSI Pacific, covers the companys 100%-owned licences PL023 and PL024.


The company said that it hoped that the new mapping would enhance the J1 prospect in PL024 and also upgrade a number of leads into prospects.


Interpretation of both the 2D seismic and the CSEM survey is expected to take between three to four months.