18 September 2024
SDX ENERGY PLC ("SDX" or the
"Company")
MOROCCO OPERATIONS
UPDATE
Highlights
·
Completion of a large data reprocessing project that enables
high grading of leads to prospects to target productive resources
more accurately. This data reprocessing has increased SDX's
confidence in the earlier-presented 47 Bcf gas play, of potentially
significant value to the Company.
· SDX
plans to drill a stratigraphic well in Q4 2024 which, if
successful, will help to develop a drilling campaign for the 47 Bcf
play in early 2025.
· The
Company has identified its next two well targets, with total
unrisked gas in place of over 3 Bcf with a view to commence
drilling these in Q4 2024.
· SDX
is in discussions with its partner, the Moroccan state, to tie-in a
stranded gas well in the near-term, generating additional revenue
for SDX. Existence of other stranded gas wells in the Rharb basin
may give rise to a broader project to connect multiple wells,
subject to agreement.
· SDX
is preparing the tender process for the acquisition of a further
150 km2 of 3D seismic data - significantly increasing
opportunities for more gas discoveries in the north west of the
Company's Rharb basin licence.
· SDX
has received two draft term sheets for structured financing, backed
by future gas revenues, to fund the planned drilling campaign in Q4
2024.
· The
Company is also in advanced negotiations with two multi-billion
dollar international companies for a deeper partnership in
accelerating SDX's gas exploration and production activities in
Morocco.
Completion of 3D Seismic Merge and
Reprocessing
SDX is pleased to announce the successful
completion of the merging and reprocessing of more than 650 square
kilometres of 3D seismic data. In February 2024, SDX awarded the
project to Absolute Imaging, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Their task was to merge five contiguous legacy 3D seismic surveys
into a single unified survey, with consistent processing
parameters. The objectives of this intensive process were to
enhance consistency across the surveys, improve structural
resolution, identify new drilling opportunities, and de-risk
previously identified prospects.
Initial reviews of the final data have
confirmed that all the objectives have been achieved, providing
greater confidence and resolution across all the surveys. The next
phase will involve amplitude-versus-offset ("AVO") inversion
analysis to increase the reliability of using direct hydrocarbon
indicators ("DHIs") for identifying and de-risking leads and
prospects within the merged seismic area. SDX expects to complete
this process by the end of Q4 2024.
47
Bcf Clustered Amplitude Play Update
Recent reinterpretation of subsurface data,
prior to merging and reprocessing of the data, identified multiple
clusters of densely packed amplitude DHIs. Preliminary management
estimates suggest that the largest cluster could contain mean
recoverable unrisked resources of 47 Bcf. Pending successful
evaluation, SDX plans to develop this new play type using
multi-lateral drilling techniques, commonly employed in the North
American market and which SDX's operational team has experience
with.
At today's gas prices in Morocco, 47 Bcf of
gas, once developed, would represent a significantly valuable asset
to the Company and a significant multiple of current reserves. SDX
sees large demand for gas from current and future industrial
offtakers in country and is encouraged by the discussions that have
been held with potential funding partners to develop these
opportunities.
With the newly merged and reprocessed seismic
data, SDX has increased its confidence in this play and has
identified an exploratory drilling location. This stratigraphic
well will target multiple stacked anomalies to confirm the presence
of both reservoir and gas. It will also test deeper stratigraphic
leads, which, if successful, could unlock a new play type in the
basin. SDX is preparing to initiate the mandatory Environmental
Impact Assessment ("EIA") process, which is expected to be complete
in early Q1 2025. Concurrently, the conclusion of the AVO analysis
will allow the company to rapidly proceed towards full-field
development of the clustered anomaly play in the first half of
2025.
Two
New Drilling Locations
SDX has identified two new drilling locations
and is in the final stages of securing land permits for each. The
newly processed seismic data has been integrated into the original
interpretations, further de-risking both prospects. These
locations, designated as KSR-22 and OLME-A, have unrisked mean gas
in place estimates of 2.4 Bcf and 0.6 Bcf, respectively. SDX plans
to commence its next drilling campaign during Q4 2024.
Near-Term Production
Opportunity
The Company is waiting for the approval from
Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines ("ONHYM") to tie-in
an existing ONHYM-owned well to the Company's pipeline, which would
bring proven gas reserves online in the near term. SDX would share
the gas sales revenue with ONHYM. This would help maintain supply
of gas to customers and bring additional revenue to SDX, while the
Company focuses on progressing its drilling campaign, identifying
new opportunities, and developing the 47 Bcf clustered amplitude
anomaly play. Other currently stranded wells with gas-behind-pipe
may also be tied into the Company's pipeline, subject to further
negotiations with ONHYM.
Temporary Reduction of Gas Supply to
CITIC Dicastal Subsidiaries
The Company has directed CITIC Dicastal
subsidiaries, including DIKA MOROCCO AFRICA ("DMA") to temporarily
reduce their gas consumption from 48,000 cubic metres per day
average during August 2024 to 10,000 cubic metres per day, as part
of a proactive effort to responsibly manage remaining resources and
to ensure maximum recovery from the field. The Company remains
committed to supplying gas at existing consumption volumes to other
offtakers. Plans are in place to restore historical supply levels
to DMA as soon as new gas reserves are assessed, either by
connecting ONHYM's legacy wells with identified pay zones or by
drilling new wells.
Tendering for 150 km2 of New
3D Seismic Data Acquisition
SDX is preparing a tender process to select a
partner for the acquisition of over 150 km2 of 3D
seismic data. The area selected for this new seismic acquisition
campaign is to the north-west of the existing newly merged seismic
surveys and has been strategically placed to allow SDX to tie-in to
its existing pipeline infrastructure, merge into the newly merged
data set while covering a thicker and prospective portion of the
basin. SDX anticipates finalising the tender and commencing
the seismic acquisition in Q1 2025. The EIA for this
project commenced in July and is expected to be
completed during Q4 2024.
Progress on Structured Financing
Arrangements and Strategic Partnership
Discussions
SDX has been in negotiations with two separate
counterparties to secure financing, secured by SDX's future gas
revenues. SDX has draft term sheets from both counterparties and
the Company hopes to be able to finalise a transaction in Q4 2024.
This structured financing will be used to fund the upcoming
drilling of the new production well KSR-22 and potentially the
stratigraphic well, to significantly de-risk the 47 Bcf play.
A separate tranche of financing is being negotiated
for the tie-in of the ONHYM well, referred to above and should be
in place also in Q4 2024.
SDX also continues to explore strategic partnership
options with two multi-billion dollar international companies to
provide financing support in the short-term, enabling SDX to drill
an additional well within six months and acquire the new 3D seismic
data. In the longer-term, such a strategic partnership may
significantly accelerate and expand SDX's exploration and
production activities in Morocco.
As the sole independent gas producer in
Morocco, SDX works closely with its partner, ONHYM, in all aspects
of development and production. SDX's gas is sold to multiple
offtakers in the Kenitra industrial area.
For
further information:
SDX
Energy Plc
Daniel Gould, Chief Executive
Officer
William McAvock, Chief Financial
Officer
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3219 5640
|
|
Shore Capital (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Toby Gibbs/
Harry Davies‑Ball
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090
|
InHouseIR (Investor and Media Relations)
Sarah Dees/Oliver Clark
Email: sdx@inhouseir.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7881 650 813 / +44 (0)
20 3239 1669
|
|
Competent Persons Statement
In accordance with the AIM Rules for
Companies, the technical information contained in this announcement
has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Aaron LeBlanc, Head of
Operations at SDX Energy Plc. Mr. LeBlanc is a qualified person as
defined in the London Stock Exchange's Guidance Note for Mining and
Oil and Gas Companies and has the necessary professional and
technical competencies to conduct and review petroleum operations.
Mr. LeBlanc has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology from the
University of Calgary, an Executive Master of Science in Finance
from HEC Paris and is a professional member of the AAPG. Mr.
LeBlanc has 22 years of oil and gas industry technical, operational
and leadership experience.
Abbreviations
Bcf billion cubic
feet
About SDX
For further information, please see
the Company's website at
www.sdxenergygroup.com or the
Company's filed documents at
www.sedar.com .
Forward-looking
information
Certain statements contained in this
press release may constitute "forward-looking information" as such
term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements
that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions,
expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions
or future events or are not statements of historical fact should be
viewed as forward-looking information. In
particular, statements regarding future drilling and seismic data
acquisition should be regarded as forward-looking
information.