Open Briefing.
Should be worth a few pence in the short term.
http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200503010700511570J.html
Hardman Resources Limited
01 March 2005
STOCK EXCHANGE / MEDIA RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: 1 March 2005
CONTACT: Simon Potter
TELEPHONE: Within Australia: 08 9261 7600
International: +61 8 9261 7600
RE: OPEN BRIEFING
PAGES: 7
Enclosed is an Open Briefing with Managing Director Simon Potter, which has been
prepared by Corporate File for immediate release.
SCOTT SPENCER
DIRECTOR
Note: In accordance with Australian Stock Exchange Limited listing requirements,
the geological information supplied in this report has been based on information
provided by geologists who have had in excess of five years experience in their
field of activity.
Attention ASX Company Announcements Platform
Lodgement of Open Briefing
Hardman Resources Ltd
Level 1
50 Kings Park Rd
West Perth WA 6005
Date of lodgement: 01-Mar-2005
Title: Open Briefing. Hardman. MD Potter Updates Mauritania
Record of interview:
corporatefile.com.au
Hardman Resources Ltd recently announced that the results of the appraisal
program to date have upheld your initial assessment of the volume of
oil-in-place in Tiof of approximately 1,000 million barrels. Is it still too
early to assess the value of the project? What has to be done before you can get
an accurate assessment of the project parameters including a final estimate of
oil-in-place and, more importantly, recoverable reserves?
Managing Director Simon Potter
It's too early to be discussing the value of Tiof. Clearly the value will be a
function of oil price when production commences, the timing of the development
and indeed the overall development costs. In turn the costs will depend on the
development concept chosen by the joint venture partners, which remains to be
determined. I suspect that it is most likely to be an FPSO, but the key
variables in determining ultimate value will be the type and number of
development wells required.
The next steps in determining the project parameters, including the amount of
recoverable oil, will be to carry out further reservoir tests. I would like to
see more than a further single well test ahead of deciding the development plan.
We anticipate that an additional well test will be incorporated into the 2005
drilling programme.
corporatefile.com.au
Woodside recently released the 'Woodside Reserves Statement - 2004'. This
document reported a Contingent Resource of 114.8 million barrels for Woodside's
40% share of Tiof - implying a Contingent Resource of 287 million barrels for
the total project. How do you reconcile your estimate of oil-in-place in Tiof of
approximately 1,000 million barrels with Woodside's estimate of Contingent
Resource?
Managing Director Simon Potter
Don Voelte, the CEO of Woodside, has recently stated that there's around a
billion barrels of oil in place at Tiof. I agree with that assessment.
Woodside's Contingent Resources, assessed as at 31 December 2004, of 287 million
barrels represents their assessment of recoverable oil, i.e. the proportion of
oil in place that is ultimately produced. Since that assessment date we've
undertaken a lot more appraisal of the discovery including the most recent flow
test. The recovery factor implied for that level of Contingent Resources is
around 29%. Ultimately, again, how much we recover is a function of the
efficiency of the development scheme chosen. Although it's fair to say that the
Tiof reservoir is a relatively complex reservoir, I think the joint venture
partners would be hopeful to lift that implied recovery number given the large
volume of oil in place.
corporatefile.com.au
What does it mean in layman's terms when you say that the Tiof-6 appraisal well
flowed at a maximum rate of 12,400 barrels of oil per day constrained by a 104/
64 inch choke? Can you comment on the well pressure? What flow rates could be
possible if the field is developed?
Managing Director Simon Potter
The choke constrains oil flow which allows comparative pressure measurements on
either side of the restriction. That gives valuable information about the
quality of the reservoir and the flowing characteristics of the well under
development. If we allowed the well to flow unrestricted we'd probably get lots
of debris and fluctuations in flow rate which ultimately wouldn't allow us good
comparative data. Further, when we well test we need to flow the oil into a
temporary storage vessel as we don't yet have any production facilities in the
field. Therefore we need to maximise data collection in a very constrained time
period.
The changes in well pressure during and in building back up after the test is
complete are some of the key indicators of the size of the oil resource. If the
pressure declined rapidly it would imply a small connected oil resource. The
recent Tiof well test results are currently being assessed.
We would usually expect the flow rate to increase considerably under more normal
production conditions when we will have much larger storage facilities and can
draw the well down harder. In Chinguetti for example we're anticipating that we
could roughly double the production rates compared with the test rates.
corporatefile.com.au
What does the flow rate at Tiof tell you about reservoir deliverability and the
size of the field?
Managing Director Simon Potter
We actually expected a much lower flow rate because the reservoirs in this area
are more complex and less permeable than those at Chinguetti. The flow rate
indicated that we've got a better reservoir at Tiof than we first thought and
that's what underpins the higher flow rates.
For this type of reservoir we'd ideally like to do a longer test to fully
understand the connectivity of the reservoir but that's not currently practical
given the limited storage facilities and likely cost.
corporatefile.com.au
Can you explain why the assessment of potentially recoverable oil is more
difficult in these types of reservoirs compared with say Chinguetti?
Managing Director Simon Potter
Tiof sits halfway up a paleo-continental shelf, with reservoirs comprised of
fast moving sediments deposited in channels weaving backwards and forwards in a
broader 2 kilometre wide channel. Chinguetti is actually set at the bottom of
similar channels where the sands are actually emerging out into the less
constrained and wider base of the continental shelf. The Chinguetti reservoir
sands are draped over a salt dome which gives the structure relief with steepish
sides. The sands are of very good quality though unconsolidated, which means
they will need cementing and fracturing to optimise facilities and production.
Producer wells will be placed at the crest of the structure with water injectors
at the periphery to maintain reservoir pressure.
The Tiof reservoir does not have the same vertical relief, thus is a much
flatter, linear structure two kilometres wide by about eight kilometres long.
The sediments are a much more silty, mixed sand composition and more complex. It
is for these reasons we anticipated lower flow rates for Tiof.
corporatefile.com.au
What is the forward plan for Tiof?
Managing Director Simon Potter
This is still under discussion within the venture. The partners wish to maximise
the value of the Tiof reserves and therefore need to think carefully about the
development scheme for this field. I would like to see further well tests to
help guide the decision and anticipate the next one around mid year. Therefore
it is unlikely there will a development decision before late 2005.
corporatefile.com.au
In recent months, Hardman has announced the new Tevet discovery, appraisal
results from Tiof, some unsuccessful exploration wells and confirmed the funding
for its Chinguetti development. You joined Hardman recently as Managing
Director. What is your initial view of Hardman's Mauritanian assets?
Managing Director Simon Potter
These assets have certainly been a company maker for Hardman. The assets are
nothing short of spectacular really. We have two world class rigs contracted for
2005. Development of Chinguetti is underway, we will continue appraising Tiof
and we intend to appraise Tevet. We've yet to appraise Banda but it is a major
gas discovery. We have an ongoing exploration program and we're clearly hopeful
of making some further significant discoveries.
corporatefile.com.au
Can you update progress on the Chinguetti Oil Field development?
Managing Director Simon Potter
We've committed over 50% of the project spend and we're within 5% of the budget.
The floating storage and production vessel is in Singapore being refitted and
that is on schedule. Production and subsea facilities are under construction.
Development drilling is underway and we are pleased with the initial well
results. Further development includes drilling a gas disposal well at Banda
which will minimise gas flaring. We're still on track to produce the first oil
by the end of the March quarter 2006.
corporatefile.com.au
Tevet is estimated by Woodside to contain Contingent Resources of 41 million
barrels. Is it within tie-back distance to Chinguetti? What further work do you
plan at Tevet to assess commerciality?
Managing Director Simon Potter
We need to do at least a further appraisal well and probably a flow test at
Tevet. But there is still a lot of geological and reservoir work we need to do
before we site the appraisal well and determine whether it should be tied back
to the FPSO. The whole channel system intrigues me. Banda sits on top of the
channel, within a buried canyon. Tevet sits further down the same channel system
which continues westward to become the reservoir at Chinguetti. Defining the
separate limits of each of the fields is not simple and there may be more
potential within the overall system than we recognize at present.
corporatefile.com.au
Can you briefly outline your view of Hardman's other exploration activities?
Which do you think have most potential?
Managing Director Simon Potter
The two areas that really interest me and are receiving a lot of focus are the
Falkland Islands and our acreage in French Guyane.
Recently our partners, the Falklands Oil and Gas Company raised around 12
million by listing on the AIM in London, so there is clearly an appetite in the
market for this Falkland acreage. Currently we are collecting seismic where good
images are being received directly off the vessel indicating a number of really
interesting structures. This considerable potential in our Falklands acreage
will be assessed with a well within about two years.
I'm particularly interested in our property in French Guyane. We hold over 97%
equity in the license which covers some 65,000 sq km, the entire offshore to
3000 metres water depth. In hydrocarbon terms it's sandwiched between the
offshore provinces of Trinidad and Venezuela and Brazil so it's a good piece of
real estate. The offshore prospects are well defined and we can see good
structures from the seismic similar to the channel features seen in Mauritania.
There's also a compelling single, huge structure called Matamata. We're required
to drill a well within the next 15 months as a part of the licence obligation.
Our current strategy is to farm down from the 97% and bring in a partner to
contribute to the drilling of that well.
With our Guyane property we've followed the traditional success route that
Hardman has taken in the past, which is to have high equity, early access to
prospective frontier exploration properties. We've traditionally dramatically
farmed down our share, but in future I would like to see us maintain a higher
equity stake (up to 40%). We're now well over a billion dollar company, so can
afford to retain higher equity and tolerate greater amounts of risk. As we bring
in new partners we will look to swap assets rather than simply seek
contributions to funding or a carry.
In March, we will operate the drilling of an exploration well in the Timor Sea -
Marloo-1. This area is relatively mature and is in direct contrast to the rather
more spectacular frontier type exploration that we're doing elsewhere in the
world. With this operation we will continue to build our organisational
capacity.
corporatfile.com.au
On the financial side how do you see Hardman's capacity to contribute to the
costs of the Mauritanian joint venture as well as continuing to develop its
portfolio outside of North West Africa.?
Managing Director Simon Potter
Over the last three years the company has raised $220m from the equity capital
markets and during the same period grown from a market cap of approx $330m to
$1.2bn. We recently secured a US$100m project finance facility for Chinguetti.
Hardman is fully funded through to first production from Chinguetti in 2006. We
are in a very strong financial position and are not constrained in the further
development of our portfolio. Our financial and operational strength has created
a strong platform for us to selectively participate in other leading hydrocabon
projects.
corporatefile.com.au
Can you talk a little about your history in the oil and gas industry and the
strategic direction you might take with Hardman?
Managing Director Simon Potter
I'm qualified as a geologist from the Royal School of Mines in London and I
spent nearly five years on the Copperbelt in Zambia. I did an MBA in the mid
1980s which allowed me to join the commercial department of BP. I negotiated
exploration and development licenses, operating agreements, gas sales contracts
etc. and I think this background of doing deals appealed to Hardman. I have
lived in Australia before where I was responsible for the commercial aspects of
BP's interests in the North West Shelf as a partner to Woodside. Following this
I had a series of operations positions including overseeing North Sea and
Alaskan operations before I completed my education through the executive program
at Stanford. Most recently I have been CEO of joint venture oil and gas
companies for BP in Indonesia and Russia.
Hardman has grown to its current size very quickly over the last couple of years
and we now have a much greater risk capacity. We can manage our assets much more
strategically and hopefully we can attract very good partners and operators in
order to maximise the value of our future developments rather than be driven by
cost exposure. I think one of the key aspects of Hardman's strategy previously
has been its early access to frontier exploration acreage which obviously
illustrates its core skills. It's that exploration of frontier acreage that
actually gives the stock its buzz and my goal is to build on that not to
constrain it.
corporatefile.com.au
As you point out, Hardman has indeed grown quickly in recent years and now has a
market capitalisation of around $1.4 billion and is in a strong financial and
operating position. Does Hardman have the appropriate organisational structure
to operate in the sphere of plus $1 billion oil and gas companies? What broad
changes do you envisage to the organisational structure?
Managing Director Simon Potter
I'd like to improve our internal processes by improving the commercial rigor
that we have within the company but essentially, as I have already said, I won't
be changing our core skills set of accessing frontier plays. Over time, we'd
like to boost our skills sets including improving the capacity of our new
business development teams such that we can turn over more opportunities more
quickly. Whilst Mauritania has been a great success, it's taken 10 years to
mature and I'd like to see that cycle time reduced. That requires additional
technical and commercial skills which we would like to bring into the company.
corporatefile.com.au
Thank you Simon.
For further information on Hardman Resources visit
www.hdr.com.au
or call Simon
Potter or Scott Spencer on 08 9261 7600.
For previous Open Briefings by Hardman Resources visit
www.corporatefile.com.au
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