http://www.oilbarrel.com/nc/news/display_news/article/excitement-levels-build-as-xcite-energy-continues-with-critical-bentley-well/860.html
"......November 02, 2010
Excitement Levels Build As Xcite Energy Continues With Critical Bentley Well
Shares in Xcite Energy, the North Sea heavy oil specialist, have more than doubled over the past two months on the back of a key well on its Bentley field development. Monday morning saw the shares gain another ten pence to stand at 178.5 pence as chief executive Richard Smith used the release of the Q3 interims to say the results of the 9/3b-6 pilot well showed predictions for the Bentley field had been conservative
This is encouraging as the 9/3b-6 pre-development well has been designed to remove some of the uncertainties surrounding the commercial potential of this heavy oil deposit, which carries a contingent resource estimate of 160 million barrels of oil equivalent plus upside. Xcite management now believe the pilot well has confirmed the upside structure in the eastern half of the reservoir, significantly increasing the volume of oil in place.
The pilot section of the well confirmed a 113 ft oil column, some 40ft thicker than the 73 ft prognosis, in a good quality Dornoch oil reservoir, and confirmed the oil water contact at 3,729 ft total vertical depth (on prognosis). The oil column has 100 per cent net to gross, compared to previous average of 88 per cent. The pilot section also encountered 15 ft of Jurassic reservoir with oil shows. A horizontal side-track is now underway to flow test the Dornoch oil column, with completion and testing expected by the end of November. We look forward to the next few weeks with high expectations," said Smith.
Analysts at Edison Investment Research say the US$35-US$40 million well is critical and must achieve stable and explainable flow rates to give confidence for first stage production to proceed. The test equipment has been limited to 2,800 to 3,000 barrels per day to ensure low-end to mid-range performance: this is not about maximum flow rates but sustainable, stable production. The well should also help to move an initial volume of resources to 1P and 2P reserves, which would pave the way for a field development plan and possible first oil as early as next year.
First stage production would be around 15,000 bpd and the aim would be to iron out any longer term production issues associated with heavy oil developments, specifically water issues. This would not only de-risk the project before committing to full field development but would also generate revenues and book reserves, which if confirmed at 160 million boe or more would transform the 248 million market cap company, making it one of the more substantial independent players.
Bentley lies 160 km east of the Shetlands in a known heavy oil area, with Nautical Petroleums Kraken field and Statoils Bressay field as neighbours. The field was discovered by Amoco in 1977, before transferring to Conoco, which drilled three wells in the 1980s (one poorly tested, one untested and one was dry). Xcite acquired the asset in 2003 and drilled the 9/3b-5 vertical well in December 2007, which flowed 100-250 bpd despite formation damage. A CPR reckons a flow rate of 3,700 bpd could be achieved using a horizontal well. The crude is 10-12 degrees API with low sulphur and no wax and Xcite already has an offtake agreement in place with BP.
Indeed, Xcites management team have worked diligently to put together an alliance of technical and commercial partners, including AMEC and BP. This unique alliance financing structure incentivizes the partners for the work they do on a risk/reward basis yet sees the AIM company retain 100 per cent of the equity in the project......."