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.

Footsie plummets as bid talk fails to raise interest
Toby Green
22 Sep 2011

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/markets/article-23989851-footsie-plummets-as-bid-talk-fails-to-raise-interest.do

As traders were hit by a bloodbath on the market, even the prospect of takeover activity among the small-cap energy groups failed to prompt risers.

Rockhopper, the only explorer to have found black gold in the Falkland Islands, dropped 6.75p to 202.25p, despite City voices saying the AIM-listed company looked well set to attract bid interest.

Claiming the gulf between the performance of the sector and the price of oil had "become extreme", scribblers from Goldman Sachs said that as a result the industry giants were likely to be tempted to make a play for some of the smaller names.

They were particularly positive on groups which could attract the attention of national oil companies (NOCs), noting that historically they have made acquisitions "at significantly higher prices".

The analysts picked out Rockhopper as one of the most attractive to NOCs, thanks in part to the absence of a blocking shareholder and its large assets.

Among the other names they highlighted was Bowleven, although the African-focused explorer was also weaker, down 3.25p to 105.25p.

Ocean Guardian is in position.

KEEP an EYE

RKH 186.75p

Had a good marked down lately and also today, has come to the point of retracement being done @ 185p, with 61.8%, High of 264.75p low 135.50p

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FT-Goldman Sachs,Takeover/Buy List
September 22, 2011 8:14 pm

Small caps: oil explorers ripe for predators
By Steve Lodge and Bryce Elder

Oil explorers were in focus on Thursday after Goldman Sachs argued that the sector was trading at levels that were likely to attract predators.

The dislocation between the long-dated crude price and E&P [exploration and production] equities has become extreme and is now at levels comparable with early 2009, Goldman told clients. We believe this dislocation represents an opportunity for well funded larger players that are struggling to grow to make acquisitions and that this activity could re-rate the E&P sector.

Names on Goldmans list of potential targets included Falklands explorer Rockhopper Exploration , down 6.8 per cent to 194.9p, Chinas Green Dragon Gas , off 5.9 per cent to 7.9p, and Albania-focused Bankers Petroleum , which fell 8.8 per cent to 260p.

Goldman also argued that valuations had been depressed by market concerns over explorers access to funding.
Although we recognise that many companies will require additional funding to develop assets or extend exploration programmes, we believe that, in general, the sector is funded for significant catalysts in the short term, it said.
Goldman also added Gulf Keystone Petroleum and Tower Resources to its buy list as part of the review, while adding Desire Petroleum and Hardy Oil & Gas to its sell list. But Gulf Keysone was off 5 per cent to 151p, Tower lost 1.7 per cent to 4p, Desire retreated 5.3 per cent to 18p and Hardy was 1.7 per cent weaker at 198.4p in a generally torrid session for natural resource companies.

Small caps: oil explorers ripe for predators

another push and at yesterday's closing price now 194p

mnamreh, in answer to your post #5297, yes he is. There is only one person who spells liar 'Lier'. Duh! ;o)

Probably (and deservedly) got banned.

If the MoneyAM mods are reading this and they did ban MasterRSI then please do the same with machoman if it is a return of a banned poster (check the IP address etc...)

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Apparently - I am one :-)

14/10-8 Well Spud

Rockhopper Exploration plc (AIM: RKH), the North Falkland Basin oil and gas exploration company, announces that the 14/10-8 exploration well (the "Well") was spudded at 03:45hrs BST on 25 September 2011.

The Well is situated on Licence PL032, which is 100% owned and operated by Rockhopper, and is located approximately 4.1km to the south-south-east of the 14/10-2 discovery well, outside of the Sea Lion Discovery Area.

This well is designed to investigate reservoir and hydrocarbon presence within the Sea Lion Main Complex in an area of relatively low amplitudes and is also an exploration well on both the Casper and Kermit oil prospects.

Drilling operations are expected to take approximately 28 days and a further announcement will be made once drilling is completed.

Ocean Guardian drilling rig
The Company is in discussions with Diamond Offshore, owners of the Ocean Guardian drilling rig, with regards to the assignment of a further drilling slot to which the Company would be required to commit prior to the spudding of well 14/10-9.

i.e. nothing expected to be found here

This well is designed to investigate reservoir and hydrocarbon presence within the Sea Lion Main Complex in an area of relatively low amplitudes and is also an exploration well on both the Casper and Kermit oil prospects,

http://oilbarrel.com/media/pub/var/release_downloadable_file/32864.pdf

We Believe Rockhoppers Estimates are Conservative
On 2 June 2010, RPS (a third party engineering consultancy) assumed a P50 areal estimate for SL10 and SL20 of 27km2. Rockhopper's current mid case estimate is 68 km2, a 150% increase from the RPS estimate.
In its June 2010 report, RPS estimated a best estimate oil in place of 717Mb, using probabilistic techniques. We have applied their input data into a simple deterministic (non-statistical) model which suggests that deterministically the mid case estimate of oil in place would be circa 674Mb.
Using the 674Mb as a starting point and increasing it by 150% gives 1,685Mb of oil in place. This is substantially higher than Rockhopper's current mid case estimate of oil in place of 1,086Mb.

sp going down the drain time to bail out?

I'm sitting on a loss and will sit through these bad times......but better times will return for 95% of stocks.....just a matter of time and there still may be a substantial autumn-christmas advance on today's values coming.....we just need the markets to stabilise instead of all this blinkin' greece crap that's pulling the markets down...

rf so you don't believe in stop losses.

I do for very, very risky positions or stocks,...I get caught out in the belief that the markets are undervalued and stay put on positions when perhaps I should sell even at a loss..but then again I hate making losses so I stay put...how do people manage with the 30 day rule ?....I'm baffled by people who say they have bought back the next day ?...how...?....still, staying put was not the best thing to do since the spring.....anyway,... is this one very risky ? not anymore...and the turmoil in the markets is not Rockhopper's fault ; they have not put a foot wrong since they started drilling 18 months ago...

Good, old fashion 'seat of your pants' investor/trader! ;o)

I'm keeping the faith with my stocks....fingers crossed, a very strong rebound will come..the markets cannot remain subdued for much longer...upwards gravity has to come into effect sooner or later...

Good luck