anyone got any ideas about the block trades that went through today?

website: http://www.sterlingenergyplc.com/



weather: www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/084938.shtml?50wind120

indeed. looks like minimal impact....anyone wlse have any thoughts?

for those in need of more Kung Fuey....

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-2162/Kung_Fu/

good site for lots of other shows and movies as well.

rgds
PT

No impact so far on any of the sp of HNR. I'm not too concerned as long as it doesn't do any harm to the working relationship of all parties concerned. Certainly wouldn't make me sell any shares in either company. If anything, I would think this action would hurt Woodside the most. Hardman seem confident that the court will rule in their favour.

As to Hong Kong Phooey - Number 1 superstar!

Looks as if this was released in Oz overnight and HDR were only down 0.025c so no panic there it seems.

Great article on Rigzone re Mauritania.

Australia's Hardman Resources Ltd. (HDR.AU) said Thursday that up to eight new exploration wells will be drilled at its Mauritania oil project in the second half of 2005.

Mauritania operator Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL.AU) will be "putting to the joint venture 10 drill-ready prospects by June," said Hardman Chief Executive Simon Potter.


At least half of those prospects, and probably "six to eight," will be drilled in the second half, Potter told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.
The new drilling will test "large" targets, Potter said, as the joint venture partners try to rebuild confidence in the exploration upside at Mauritania, after a moderate program last year that returned three dry holes along with the Tevet discovery.

Buoyed by news of the latest drilling plan, Hardman shares closed up 2.1% at A$1.93, their high for the day, valuing the Perth-based group at A$1.27 billion.

Shares in Woodside fell 14 cents to A$25.46.

Broker UBS believes the coming offshore drill program has a "risk weighted value" of around A$1.60 per Woodside share based on an assumed 32% overall success rate.

"We believe our assumed risked success rate is reasonable since Woodside-operated Mauritania exploration drilling has delivered a 45% success rate to date," UBS said in a research note.

Previous successes include the US$625 million Chinguetti development that is due to begin production by next March at a rate of 75,000 barrels of oil per day, and the Tiof discovery that Hardman believes has 1 billion barrels of oil "in place."

Woodside owns 47% of Chinguetti. The other participants are Hardman with 19%, the Mauritanian government with 12%, BG Group PLC (BRG) with 10%, the Premier group of companies with 8.1% and Roc Oil Co. (ROC.AU) with 3.3%.

UBS said the Sotto prospect will test a new Miocene channel system with a target size of 150-250 million barrels of oil.

But Hardman's Potter said that Sotto is one of many prospects in the program.

"We have a range of play types that we need to fully understand," he said, adding that he is confident Mauritania is a "company maker" for Hardman, despite the disappointing exploration results last year.

"The fact that we've had three dry holes in the context of the whole basin is neither here nor there," he said.

"There could easily be another five Chinguettis and another three or four Tiofs," he said.

"So I hope that the exploration program we embark upon will be a strategic evaluation of the basin rather than just drilling the biggest bump that we see," Potter said.

Turning to corporate issues, Potter said he is aware of market speculation that U.K.-based BG Group, a minority owner of Chinguetti and Tiof, may be interested in Hardman.

"With the oil price the way it is, there are a lot of companies cashed up and looking for opportunities," he said.

Hardman is a potential takeover target, along with many other companies, but there have been no discussions with BG, Potter said.

"I'm sure that there is going to be a lot of consolidation in the industry over the coming year," he added.

Woodside owns 10% of Hardman but has "indicated" to Potter that "they are very happy with their holding", he said.

Hardman's 19% share of Chinguetti will entitle it to around 14,000 barrels of oil a day, which will make it Australia's fourth-biggest oil producer behind Woodside, Santos Ltd. (STO.AU) and Oil Search Ltd. (OSH.AU).

"It is clearly core for Hardman to get Chinguetti on stream and producing," Potter said.

"As we get closer to first oil, we'll see that reflected in the stock price, where we get more of a balance. Rather than just being an exploration play, we become a production and oil price play," he said.

Potter also believes that a share market "discount" attached to Hardman because of perceived political risk in Mauritania will "start to evaporate" as oil production gets closer.

Turning to Tiof, Potter said that the joint venture partners are "agreed" that it contains 1 billion barrels of oil, but the "key issue is how much oil we can recover."

Woodside has said a development option could be finalized in the third quarter, but Potter said two more appraisal wells are needed to fully evaluate the field.

Despite high oil prices, there is "no point in rushing at this like a bull at a gate," Potter said.

"This has to be a pretty measured and considered development to maximize the recovery factor," he said.

Analysts believe around 30%-40% of Tiof's oil may be recovered, depending on how well the field's individual reservoirs are connected.

Last year Woodside said Tiof could become the company's second production hub off the west African coast by 2008, based on a stand-alone development costing up to A$2 billion.

Oil price around $50-$55 appears to be acceptable for the world market..... share prices started to recover around the world.... That's good especialy for oil companies IMO

IMO as well!

I think that once all the hype and worry about the higher price falls away and we get through the big spike that is forecast, the World will have to get used to $50 to $60 per barrel as the norm.

I would not expect that price to have any larger impact on economies mainly as oil has been too cheap for too long prior to this.

A good time to hold SEY and HNR imo, in one of the most promising areas of the World in respect of new fields.

'Course, HNR also have what appears as big at Matamata.

I watched the first episode of Doctor Who from behind the back of a sofa in a freinds house, because he had the only television in the road.

About a year later my family got one.

We were not poor, but it just had not caught on!

I also rememeber the first Miners Strike, in the early 60's when power cuts were the norm in Winter.

And we had a Village Bakers who baked brown bread with Hovis written on the side.

The top was always black.

We 'ad a nice 'ouse.

We 'ad a box in t' middle of 'ert ro'd.

Times were 'ard, b't we was 'appy.

Off topic boys. Got to feel it for the people working for Rover. I'm no expert but even I could see it coming.

MS

agreed. i will leave the politics for the political thread but i think this has been so utterly mismanaged it is untrue.

DGO is trying ot pass 100p. SEY may follow IMO

SEY a quid by crimbo!

I'll vote for that. DYOR - Do your own ramping. LOL

barryrog on ADVFN says............

here's a thought for Sunday.

'American oil and gas exploration co. Vanco is eyeing a flotation on AIM that could value the firm at more than 500 million.
the Houston based group has acquired offshore licences for eight African countries including Morocco,the Ivory Coast,Ghana,Equatorial Guinea,Gabon and Madagascar,with 20 million acres under licence.
insiders said the company would be one of the most exciting prospects to join Aim given its long and experienced/established history as an independent business.'

ring any bells? it should do.

SEY's offices are in Houston.
SEY already as a relationship with the co.
SEY also has licences for most of these areas.

possible merger?
1 billion co. shared Gulf operations,shared licences with huge increase in potential/proven reserves,shared mgt expertise/economies of scale,possible dual listing, American involvement in Mauratania partnership etc.etc.

appears the perfect fit to me!

A real coincidence and there's no mistake.

They are Sterling's assets that they seem to be talking about, they may have bought them, unless of course they are being allowed a farm in, which could be the other explanation.

So this is how a rumour starts????

SWW,

I believe the poster is being VERY presumptious IMHO!

There are MANY oil companies in Houston!

here is a description from the Vanco website;

For further description of the copmpany, use this link;


http://www.vancoenergy.com/aboutus/history.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanco Energy Company is a privately held independent oil and gas company whose mission is to explore and develop oil and gas in deepwater worldwide.

Since 1997, with just over 50 people, the company has acquired licenses offshore eight African countries, becoming the largest deepwater license holder offshore West Africa with over 20 million net acres under exploration and development.

Corporate offices based in Houston have expanded to five regional offices in Africa in preparation for drilling and complete operations in 2003. Regional offices are located in Morocco, Ce d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia and Madagascar.

Vanco has developed an organization and culture to meet the demands of an international operator. Its people are high-energy, creative and pro-active. The management team has years of international experience, most specific to offshore Africa.

As an operator in seven licensed countries, Vanco believes in being a good corporate citizen, and strives to contribute to the communities where it does business by offering scholarships, professional training and assistance with local social programs. Vanco believes in respecting human rights, cultures and customs of its host countries, and works to ensure that all operations run in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

As I said, so this is how a rumour starts........

Fair comments Andy.

Even if the coincidence has substance, as I have pointed out, there are alternatives to this being a clandestine takeover.

Farm in is my guess.

reads well to me and far more interesting than anything i saw over the weekend.

SWW,

Yes that would be better, I just can't see HW giving away any value, especially after such a hard fough takeover for FOG.

check out eureka thread 10x by christmas!

Are you a mate of Swellen, Jimbob?

hils...we missed you. any ideas?