The start of the drilling begins towards the end of this month. News flows will be come thick and fast. I have the feeling , and so IC and shares that this alone will drive the sp. As stated several times by IC and Shares and few weekend newspaper article. A safer blue sky and true potential than DES or even PCI. IMHO.

From oilbarrel.com today.

Sums up all our hopes and prospects.

Chances are better than 1 in 2 of finding more oil and or gas in Mauritannia.

Read the full report.



13.08.2004
Attempted Coup Jangles Investor Nerves But Mauritania Explorers Report
Business As Usual
Reports earlier this week of an attempted coup in Mauritania, the latest deepwater darling of the international oil industry, knocked the share prices of companies with heavy exposure to the North West African country. Among those to suffer from investor fright on Tuesday were London-listed Premier Oil, which slipped 4p to 595p, Hardman Resources, down 8.75p to 81.25p, and Dana Petroleum, which retreated 15.5p to 324p.

However, the fright was short lived. By Wednesday, the Mauritanian defence minister Baba Ould Sidi said the situation was under control.

"The attempted coup d'etat has been foiled and the putschists have been arrested, the minister said in a recorded message on state radio. Between 20 and 30 members of the army were reported to have been arrested.

The minister said the plotters were the very same people who led the aborted putsch in June last year" and that they had planned to topple President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya while he was away in France.

Tensions have edged up in the past year and the government has clamped down on Islamist groups, who remain highly critical of its diplomatic relations with Israel. The government blamed Islamists for the June 2003 coup attempt, which saw two days of fierce fighting in the capital Nouakchott in the most serious challenge to date to the rule of President Taya, who took power in a bloodless coup in December 1984. Some 120 soldiers are still being held in prison over that alleged plot.

Woodside Energy, the leader of the main exploration group in Mauritania, put out a statement on Wednesday to say that its staff and contractors in Mauritania had returned to work and resumed travel to the country.

The situation in the capital is described as calm with business continuing as normal, the company said.

Despite the inevitable flutter of investor nerves at news of the coup attempt, most observers agree that the business of developing and extracting Mauritanias black gold will be largely undisturbed by any onshore instability because the main oil and gas riches lie 75 km offshore. That has certainly been the case in Cote dIvoire where ongoing political turbulence has failed to disrupt its offshore production, or Angola, where multi-million dollar projects continued despite the long-running civil war, which ended in 2002, and in Nigeria it is the onshore oil supplies that suffer from sabotage and disruption - the country deepwater finds are unperturbed by the strife inland.

The main risk lies in any changes to the commercial terms which a new government might impose. Yet, as international explorers like to point out, even safe home-grown production can be subject to unexpected changes to the petroleum regime: British Chancellor Gordon Browns North Sea tax hike in 2002 being a case in point.

And the potential prize on offer is such that the oil companies are likely to remain committed to coup-prone Mauritania for many years yet to come. The assets are world-class in scale, with the proven and probable reserve base of the Chinguetti and Tiof oil deposits adding up to just over 100 million barrels and the Banda gas find also looking substantial. And it looks like theres plenty more where that came from: to date, exploration drilling by the Woodside-led joint venture has racked up a 100 per cent strike rate in the Miocene channel system - Ted Ellyard, the bullish managing director of Hardman Resources, reckons the risk factor on the Miocene prospects is now “better than a one in two chance of success - while Danas Pelican-1 gas find has also opened up the possibility of reserves outlying the core Woodside acreage.

Work is already underway to progress the Chinguetti find towards first production by the end of 2005 at a rate of 75,000 barrels per day. Tiof, which could dwarf Chinguetti in size, could be onstream 18 months later. Further exploration work this summer and autumn could well add further world-beating discoveries to Mauritanias rapidly growing oil and gas base.

Any ideas why this is falling out of bed?

No news.

This has become a Bear Share.

I am in for the ride, but I also need something to cheer me up now and then.

Go to their web site and download information brochure. Has details of 2004 drilling plans and activity. All looks positive, but don't they all. I to am in for the ride lets hope it's not too bumpy.

Got bored so I thought I would put this on.

Woodside are always very cagey with the drilling forecasts.

Remember the expected hit rate amongst the 21 wells is better than 2/1, some estimates are 8/10.



Woodside DJ:-

Warned on Weds of the risk of a dry hole as it prepares to kick off its $100m+ Mauritanian explo program.

CE told DJNW at the World Energy Congress in Sydney that the first well will test Dorade to the south of the existing Chinguetti and Tiof discoveries.

"We are highlighting that Dorade is a very high risk well.... and we think that it has a strong possibility of being a dry hole," "but if it does work it opens up a whole new area,"

Two drill ships contracted by Woodside arrive in Mauritania over the next few days.

"Thelast time I saw the schedule it was 9/9 and 11/9."

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040908/15/3mzea.html

Hardman Resources Limited
10 September 2004

STOCK EXCHANGE / MEDIA RELEASE

RELEASE DATE: 10 September 2004

CONTACT: Scott Spencer (08 9321 6881)

RE: MAURITANIA DRILLING PROGRAMME UPDATE


Hardman Resources Ltd ('Hardman' or 'the Company') is pleased to provide the
following information on the 2004 drilling programme offshore Mauritania.

As previously advised, two drilling vessels, the 'West Navigator' and the 'Stena
Tay' have been contracted to carry out the forthcoming drilling programme,
working in tandem and operating in water depths ranging from 300 metres to 1,700
metres. Both vessels are currently in transit and the 'West Navigator' is
expected to arrive on location on or about 11 September and the 'Stena Tay' is
expected to arrive on or about 15 September.

As previously reported the drilling programme is currently planned to include up
to twenty one wells, including a total of six exploration wells in PSC's A, B
and Block 2, four appraisal wells on the Tiof discovery and eleven Chinguetti
development wells. The final prospect selection and well drilling sequence will
be subject to change dependent on continuing technical work, initial drilling
results and operational issues. The presence of the two rigs also allows for
'batch drilling' wells - whereby one rig performs the same operation on a number
of wells in sequence rather than drilling a single well from top to bottom. The
second rig would then drill or complete the next section. The rigs work most
efficiently in this manner and this can result in very significant cost savings.

The programme is expected to begin with the 'West Navigator' drilling and casing
the 'top hole' sections on the Dorade-1 (PSC-2), Capitaine-1 and Tevet-1
exploration wells and a Tiof appraisal well (all in PSC B) before moving to the
Tiof-3 appraisal well which will then be drilled to total depth. The 'top hole'
section on these wells varies from approximately 600 metres to 1,000 metres of
drilled hole.

The planned Tiof appraisal programme includes 3 firm wells and a contingent
fourth appraisal well, subject to additional seismic and technical studies. We
expect that the Tiof-3 well will be completed and flow tested in a similar
manner to the successful Chinguetti 4-5 Early Development Well ('EDW').

To maintain the Chinguetti field development schedule and because of the late
arrival of the rigs, the 'Stena Tay' will, on arrival, drill a Chinguetti water
injection well before beginning the exploration programme. The 'Stena Tay' will
then move to the Tevet-1 well,which because of its proximity to Chinguetti is
now expected to be the first exploration prospect to be drilled to total depth.
We then expect the 'Stena Tay' to move to other exploration wells while the
'West Navigator' continues work on the Tiof programme.

Hardman intends to report progress of the drilling programme in its regular
weekly release every Tuesday morning with special releases as required.

Interests in the three production sharing contract areas that will be drilled
are:

Company PSC A PSC B PSC C2
Woodside group companies (operator) 53.846% 53.846% 48%
Hardman group companies 24.3% 21.6% 28.8%
BG group companies 13.084% 11.63%
Premier group companies 9.231%
Fusion Mauritania A Ltd* 4.615%
ROC Oil group companies 4.155% 3.693% 3.2%
Energy Africa 20%
* Premier has 29.9% interest in Fusion Mauritania A Ltd



SCOTT SPENCER
DIRECTOR

As a drilling engineer I can whole heartedly say that's some drilling campaign they've got planned there. You don't do that sort of work without being pretty sure whats below seabed!!

Good luck to them!

>> wypanb

As you know the score, can you tell me what it means when a well has been spudded?

rgrds
gk

Here is the latest RNS drilling report.

I must say I did not expect them to get so far ahead as this so quickly.

Hardman Resources Limited
14 September 2004

STOCK EXCHANGE / MEDIA RELEASE

RELEASE DATE: 14 September 2004

CONTACT: Ted Ellyard (08 9321 6881)

RE: MAURITANIA DRILLING PROGRAMME
WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT


Hardman Resources Ltd ('Hardman') provides the following weekly progress report
on the Mauritania offshore drilling programme:

Dorade-1, PSC C2

The Dorade-1 well in PSC Block C2 was spudded on 12 September 2004. The drilling
rig West Navigator will drill and case the top hole section of the well. The
bottom hole, comprising the target interval, will be drilled at a later date by
the Stena Tay, the second rig working on the Mauritania programme. At 08:00 WST
(Western Australian Standard Time) the surface conductor casing had been set at
1,770 metres depth. The current operation is running in the hole with 17 1/2'
drilling assembly.

Once the top hole casing has been set the well will be temporarily suspended and
the West Navigator will move to PSC B to drill the top hole sections of the
Tevet-1, Capitaine-1 and Tiof-4 wells.

The Dorade-1 well is located approximately 165 kilometres southwest of
Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, and 85 kilometres south of the Chinguetti
Field. Water depth is approximately 1,670 metres and the planned total depth of
the well is 2,660 metres.

Other information:

The Stena Tay is expected to arrive tomorrow (15 September) and will drill the
Chinguetti-8 water injection well before commencing work on the exploration
program.

All reported depths are referenced to the rig rotary table (except water depth).

Hydrocarbon shows will only be reported after all required logs have been run
and evaluated.

A map showing the location of the wells will be available on the Hardman website
(
www.hdr.com.au
) and will be updated during the course of the 2004/2005 drilling
programme.

The 2004/05 drilling programme will include wells in three production sharing
contract areas (PSC's). Joint venture interests in those areas are:

Company PSC A PSC B PSC C2
Woodside group companies (operator) 53.846% 53.846% 48%
Hardman group companies 24.3% 21.6% 28.8%
BG group companies 13.084% 11.63%
Premier group companies 9.231%
Fusion Mauritania A Ltd 4.615%
ROC Oil group companies 4.155% 3.693% 3.2%
Energy Africa 20%





TED ELLYARD
MANAGING DIRECTOR

I was suprised at the amount of detail their going to regularly commit to sending out. This looks like a little step down from a full partner weekly drilling report!!!

Nice to see what you getting for your investment. Hope they keep it up!

Spud means when the bit hits seabed, basically the start of the well after completing the rig move.

Hardman has some nice stakes in Mauratania with good potential for growth i feel so lucky to have got on at 77.75 recently . The chart looks good and the trend is now up , with a lot of newsflow to come out now lets see the Australian championsWoodside do a great job.

Very tempting to top up my holding in HNR or cover with ANO which has a stake in the Mauritania drilling program such as SEY as also can't see how why so many companies would risk heavy investment unless prospect of significant returns.

Would a find here produce effects on sp similar to a CNE, bet we all hope it will!!

andysmith

A number of CNE investors who won on that deal have invested in SEY, and stated that they have done so in this and SEY 's bb.

I am not saying do it, that is up to you.

Time will tell.

Until everything that can be done is done, none of us really know what will happen.

If you come in, then may we all be fortunate.

If you dont, then watch from a position of neutality and either celebrate our good forune or weep for our bad luck.

You know we who have invested in this venture believe or we would not have done so.

Over to you!

And who the heck are ANO?

SWW,

A N other!

Thank you.

Below is a link to Permier Oils interim results. Its got a great overview and drilling timeline of the Mauritanian prospects which Hardman is partner. Nice to see what we've bought in to!



http://www.premieroil.com/asp/uploads/uploadedfiles/2/263/2004_interim_results.pdf

Originally posted on another site by SirLurkalot

Where you bin Boy?
On de Moon?

The latest RNS, Ted Speaks...............

Confident sounding ain't he?

Hardman Resources Limited
22 September 2004




STOCK EXCHANGE / MEDIA RELEASE


RELEASE DATE: 22 September 2004

CONTACT: Ted Ellyard (08 9321 6881)

RE: OPEN BRIEFING

PAGES: 7


Enclosed is an Open Briefing with Managing Director Ted Ellyard, which has been
prepared by Corporate File for immediate release.



TED ELLYARD
MANAGING 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.


Lodgement of Open Briefing

Hardman Resources Ltd
Ground Floor
5 Ord Street
West Perth WA 6005



Date of lodgement: 22-Sep-2004
Title: Open Briefing. Hardman. MD on Mauritanian Drilling

Record of interview:

corporatefile.com.au
Hardman Resources Ltd recently reported that the first well in the new
Mauritanian drilling programme, Dorade-1, spudded on 12 September. Your recent
ASX release stated that the drilling rig, West Navigator, will drill and case
the top hole section of the well and that the bottom hole, comprising the target
interval, will be drilled at a later date by the Stena Tay, the second rig
working on the programme. Can you explain why you're taking that approach? What
are the tangible benefits?

MD Ted Ellyard
By drilling a number of the Mauritania wells with both rigs, each drilling
different hole sections of the same well, we can expect to make a considerable
cost saving on the overall drilling budget. This drilling technique is commonly
known as 'batch drilling' and is only possible when a large drilling programme
is undertaken by multiple rigs. Typically, wells are drilled in stages at
different hole sizes starting at the surface in a large diameter of 36 inches
which is then cased and cemented to make the well safe, followed by the next
hole size of possibly 20 inch or 171/2 inch diameter for the next section and
then decreasing to generally a 121/4 inch or 81/2 inch hole diameter over the
deeper target section.

In our case, batch drilling will involve the West Navigator rig drilling the top
hole sections of a number of wells through to the base of the 171/2 inch hole
diameter section which is the first 600 to 1,000 metres. The well will then be
cased, cemented and suspended, whilst the rig moves onto the next well. In this
case the West Navigator rig will still be set up to drill the 171/2 inch well
section for the next well and therefore the rig crew will not need to change the
drilling equipment on the rig floor, which is a considerable saving in terms of
drill time and well cost. The second rig, the Stena Tay, will then move onto the
well some 2-3 weeks later and drill the bottom section of the well (including
the target zone) which will be drilled in 121/4 inch hole size. The second rig
will already be equipped to drill these smaller hole sizes again saving time and
cost. At this stage it is hard to quantify the actual cost saving for using the
batch drilling technique but we believe it will be considerable, compared to
previous Mauritania drilling campaigns.

corporatefile.com.au
Can you explain a possible sequence for both drilling rigs during the programme?

MD Ted Ellyard
The West Navigator commenced work on 12 September by drilling the top hole on
Dorade-1 (PSC Block 2), to be followed by the top hole sections for Capitaine-1,
Tevet-1 and Tiof-4. Once that sequence is complete it will move to the Tiof-3
appraisal well around the last week of September and drill that well to total
depth. We expect to core and test the Tiof-3 appraisal well which could take us
approximately 60 days.

The Stena Tay arrived last week and is currently drilling the first Chinguetti
water injection well which we expect to finish around the end of September. That
rig will then drill the bottom hole sections for Tevet-1, Dorade-1, Capitaine-1
and Tiof-4 throughout October and early November. Current plans also include the
Stena Tay drilling Merou-1 and Tiof-5 although the detailed sequence of the
latter part of the schedule may change. Once this sequence of wells is complete
in early December the Stena Tay will follow the West Navigator to Chinguetti.
Depending on how long the rigs take to perform the early part of the programme,
one or the other may drill other exploration or appraisal wells to ensure that
they arrive at Chinguetti at the right time not to interfere with each other.

The Chinguetti development well surface locations are clustered at three
separate 'drilling centres' so it is possible for both rigs to be working on the
field at the same time. The rigs will follow each other around the drilling
centres as the West Navigator drills the top holes, followed by the Stena Tay
drilling the bottom holes and then the West Navigator returning to perform the
downhole completion of the reservoir intervals before suspending the wells. We
expect that the Stena Tay will then become available to drill additional
appraisal or exploration wells in the second quarter 2005, whilst the West
Navigator completes the Chinguetti wells and installs the production tubing
ahead of the arrival of the FPSO in the third quarter 2005.

corporatefile.com.au
You've outlined the benefits of batch drilling. What about the downside? Can
anything go wrong with this approach relative to the approach you've taken to
drilling in previous years offshore Mauritania?

MD Ted Ellyard
A problem which could arise with batch drilling is re-entering the wells with
the second rig and possible problems in anchoring rigs in deep water. However,
the two drilling rigs being used for the 2004 campaign are both 'dynamically
positioned' which means that they stay on location with the use of several
thrusters controlled by satellite positioning and do not require anchoring. We
therefore do not envisage any problems with re-entering the wells and expect
that moving from one well to the next will be extremely efficient and quick.
However, the normal type of operational risk associated with drilling in deep
water will still apply and needs to be managed efficiently.

corporatefile.com.au
When do you expect to report the first meaningful results from the programme?

MD Ted Ellyard
The first significant results are likely to come as we drill the Tevet-1
bottomhole section during the first week of October. Around that time we should
also get the first results from the Tiof-3 appraisal well. Throughout October
and November we will be getting the results of most of the exploration and
appraisal wells.

corporatefile.com.au
On 10 September 2004, Hardman reported that the drilling programme is currently
planned to include up to twenty-one wells, including a total of six exploration
wells in PSC's A, B and Block 2, four appraisal wells on the Tiof discovery and
eleven Chinguetti development wells. Can you outline your risk assessments for
the major exploration wells?

MD Ted Ellyard
The six exploration wells will have a different risk profile depending on
whether they are being drilled near the existing discoveries or in a yet
unproven part of the basin, however each of the wells in the Woodside operated
blocks will be testing Miocene aged sand channel systems in which we have
enjoyed 100% exploration success in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 campaigns. The six
wells comprise three wells in Area B, two wells in Area A and one well in Block
2. The lowest risk are the Area B wells as we will be drilling within the two
Miocene channels already proven to be oil and gas bearing by the Chinguetti,
Banda and Tiof discoveries.

The two wells in Area A will test new Miocene channel systems not previously
drilled and should therefore be considered higher risk prospects than in Area B.
However, we recognize a similar type of prospect on the 3D seismic in these
areas to the previous discoveries.

In Block 2 we are currently drilling the Dorade Prospect which again is a
Miocene channel system but located much further south and therefore higher risk
than both Areas A and B.

A further exploration well is planned in the Dana Petroleum operated Block 1
area in the south of the basin. However, due to the late arrival of the rigs
this well is most likely be drilled in early 2005 and will be known as Petrel-1.
It will test a higher risk Cretaceous aged channel system.

corporatefile.com.au
How proximate are the exploration wells to the Chinguetti, Tiof and Banda
discoveries? What would be considered an economic tie-back distance?

MD Ted Ellyard
In the Mauritania deep water a viable tie-back distance to connect additional
discoveries to an FPSO oil field development would generally be up to
20 kilometres. The three wells being drilled in Area B are located in the
vicinity of the previous discoveries but only the Tevet Prospect is being
considered as a tie-back candidate to the Chinguetti Field. The Tevet Prospect
is located less than 10 from the Chinguetti Field and if successful would be
able to provide additional oil production to the Chinguetti FPSO facility when
the Chinguetti peak oil production starts to decline possibly after two years.

Of the other wells in Area B, the Merou Prospect is located between 10 and
20 kilometres to the west of the Tiof West well and could be a tie-back to a
Tiof FPSO development or a stand alone oil development depending on the size of
any potential discovery. The Capitaine Prospect is located more than
20 kilometres to the west of Chinguetti and would probably be considered a
separate development if successful.

corporatefile.com.au
Can you give some detail on the exploration prospects that could follow the
approved exploration wells either in this programme or in future programmes?

MD Ted Ellyard
Success in any of the exploration wells drilled this year will further extend
the proven oil producing area defined by the three current Miocene channel
discoveries and provide the Joint Venture partners with confidence to drill low
risk prospects near to the new discovery. For example there are some large
prospects in the vicinity of the Merou and Capitaine Prospects that would be
high graded by a discovery in one of these wells and could be considered for
drilling in 2005. Similarly there are several prospects in Area A and Block 2
which would be considered to be low risk follow-up prospects if the 2004 wells
are successful.

Therefore, the exploration programme in 2005 and beyond will be very much
dependent on the outcomes from the current drilling campaign. However, it is
fair to say that we have many prospects defined in the basin from the extensive
3D seismic including additional Miocene and older Cretaceous sand prospects and
I therefore expect that the Joint Venture partners will have a large ongoing
exploration drilling programme for the next few years.

corporatefile.com.au
Tiof-1 and Tiof West (Hardman 21.6%) were drilled 8 kilometres apart and
therefore a wide range of reserves is possible. However, you consider that the
Tiof system has the potential to hold over 300 million barrels recoverable. The
Tiof appraisal drilling programme will include three firm wells and a contingent
fourth well. Can you describe the Tiof structure, as you currently understand
it, and the objectives of each of the appraisal wells?

MD Ted Ellyard
The Tiof field is located within an elongated Miocene channel sand system within
a buried canyon through which a large salt dome has penetrated. The oil field is
contained, by the boundaries of the sand canyon and by the salt dome structure.
The appraisal wells will confirm the extent of the field by drilling in a number
of locations to test the structural mapping and to calibrate the responses we
see on the 3D seismic. We believe those responses give us information about the
quality of the reservoir and the presence of oil and gas. The production test
will provide critical information about the potential production rates and the
size of the reservoir.

corporatefile.com.au
The Chinguetti development drilling programme comprises five production wells,
four water injector wells, a gas disposal well at the Banda gas discovery and
completion of the Chinguetti early development well drilled in 2003. Can you
explain the purpose of the gas disposal well at Banda?

MD Ted Ellyard
As is normal for a field of this type, oil production at Chinguetti will result
in the production of 'associated gas' - either from gas coming out of solution
or the field gas caps. In the past the accepted method for disposing of
associated gas was burning (or 'flaring'). This is no longer a practice accepted
by the industry in general or Woodside and Hardman because it results in
greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) and is a waste of potentially useful energy in
the future. In many cases this gas can be re-injected into the producing field,
but for Chinguetti the best option is to inject the gas into the Banda
reservoir. This relatively small addition to the Banda volume poses no risk to
the reservoir and could eventually be produced in the future.

corporatefile.com.au
What is the process, and valuation parameters, if the Mauritanian Government is
to exercise its option to back into any developments? What is the current
political and social climate after the Mauritanian Government arrested several
military personnel in August?

MD Ted Ellyard
The Mauritanian government has the right to back into the Chinguetti development
(and any subsequent field development, such as Tiof) at a level initially up to
12% and if the field achieves very high production rates the government can
eventually increase their interest up to 16%. There is a limited period of time
for them to make this decision and it obviously has serious financial and
manpower implications for them which they are working through at the moment.

As for the political and social climate, the situation in Mauritania has been
and remains calm with business as usual.

corporatefile.com.au
Thank you Ted.

For further information on Hardman Resources visit
www.hdr.com.au
or call Ted
Ellyard on 08 9321 6881.

For previous Open Briefings by Hardman Resources visit
www.corporatefile.com.au