Eco Atlantic Signs Definitive Farm-out Agreement in Licenses Offshore Namibia
10 Aprile 2012 - 9:36AM
PR Newswire (Canada)
Provides Onshore License Update TORONTO, April 12, 2012 /CNW/ - ECO
(ATLANTIC) OIL AND GAS LTD. Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. ("Eco
Atlantic" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has
signed a definitive Farm-out Agreement with Azimuth Ltd.
("Azimuth") of Hamilton, Bermuda, an exploration and production
company backed by majority-owner Seacrest Capital Ltd. and
Petroleum Geo-Services ASA ("PGS") (Letter of Intent announced on
December 22, 2011). Pursuant to the agreement, Azimuth will earn a
20% working interest in each of Eco Atlantic's offshore Namibia
licenses, namely the "Cooper License" (Block 2012A), the "Sharon
License" (Blocks 2213A & 2213B) and the "Guy License" (Blocks
2111B & 2211A) (jointly, the "Licenses") in return for funding
40% of the cost of 3D seismic surveys covering 2,500 square
kilometers across all three Licenses, the acquisition of which is
expected to cost in excess of US$25 million. The assignment of a
20% working interest in the Licenses to Azimuth is subject to the
approval of Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy. Eco Atlantic
currently holds a 90% working interest in the Licenses through its
wholly-owned subsidiary Eco Oil and Gas Namibia (PTY) Ltd. ("Eco
Namibia") and NAMCOR, the Namibian national oil and Gas Company,
holds a 10% working interest. As a result of this transaction, Eco
Namibia's interest will be 70%, Azimuth will earn a 20% interest,
and NAMCOR will retain its 10% carried interest. Eco Atlantic,
through the project management group of Kinley Exploration and
Azimuth will be responsible for designing, sourcing and operating
all aspects of the 3D seismic program. Gil Holzman, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Eco Atlantic commented, "Eco Atlantic is
excited to have executed the Farm-out Agreement thereby securing
the relationship with Azimuth as a license and technical partner.
This partnership will enhance the technical ability brought to
analyze the Licenses, thereby reducing the execution risk and
strengthening the Company's technical ability to perform its
offshore Namibia 3D Geophysical program. The cost of the 3D program
is approximately US $25million on all three offshore blocks, and
the Company's current balance sheet combined with Azimuth's
contribution covers the majority of the cost associated with our
program." Aaron D'Este, Managing Director of Azimuth Management
Ltd., commented, "We are delighted to have executed the Farm-out
Agreement with Eco Atlantic. Namibia is a very promising petroleum
province and we have evaluated numerous farm-in opportunities
across the country. Eco Atlantic's portfolio of offshore acreage is
among the most exciting, spanning three distinct environments, each
with excellent prospectivity. Azimuth has access to the
world's largest library of 3D seismic and to a team of 85
subsurface experts with extensive experience in West Africa.
Our team assessed Eco's assets independently and we support the
volumetrics and conclusions in Gustavson's reports. The
quality and diversity of the prospects on Eco Atlantic's offshore
acreage is excellent. We look forward to working closely with
Eco Atlantic to define and execute the technical program required
to produce robust drilling targets as quickly and safely as
possible." Update on Onshore Licenses. On December 8, 2011, the
Company announced that it had entered into a Farm-out Agreement
(the "FOA") with West Bay Investments, Ltd. ("West Bay") in which
West Bay farmed into both of the Company's CBM onshore license
blocks (Blocks 2013B, 2014B, 2114 and 2418 collectively the
"Onshore Licenses"). Eco Atlantic announces that it has terminated
the FOA with West Bay due to West Bay's material breach of the
terms and conditions set out therein. The failure of West Bay
to satisfy the terms and conditions of the FOA renders the 50%
working interest it was to have to in the onshore licenses null and
void. Subsequent to the termination of the FOA, the Company's
interest in the Onshore Licenses reverts to 90% with NAMCOR
maintaining a 10% interest. The Company is pleased to announce that
it has successfully completed and submitted its desk top studies
and the Environmental Assessment Surveys on both its Onshore
Licenses. Based on the desk top studies, the Company intends to
identify drilling targets on its blocks. For that purpose, the
Company has been granted an extension to complete the drilling of
at least 1 well on its onshore Licenses, to a time no later than
the expiry of the first term, being March 2015. About Eco Atlantic
Eco Atlantic is an oil and gas exploration company focused on the
new and bourgeoning energy play in Namibia. Through its wholly
owned Namibian subsidiary, Eco Namibia, it holds five petroleum
licenses issued by the Government of the Republic of Namibia. Eco
Namibia holds three offshore license blocks covering more than
25,000 square kilometers (6,177,000 acres). Eco Namibia also holds
two onshore license blocks covering 30,000 square kilometers
(7,413,000 acres). Eco Namibia, founded in 2008, enjoys a
strong local presence, and has a longstanding relationship with the
energy and oil and gas sector in Namibia and in the region. The
terms and conditions of these licenses are regulated by agreements
signed by Eco with the Government of the Republic of Namibia in
March 2011. About Azimuth Azimuth Limited is a specialist E&P
company based in Hamilton, Bermuda. The business is backed by
majority-owner Seacrest Capital Ltd, a Bermuda based energy
investment group, and Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGS).
Azimuth leverages the strength of its shareholders to acquire
interests in prospective acreage worldwide, developing
'drill-ready' targets through robust geophysical and commercial
analysis. Funding from Seacrest fuels Azimuth's global
activities and ensures that the company is ready to advance its
properties without delay. A collaboration agreement with PGS
gives Azimuth unparalleled insight into petroleum basins worldwide,
including access to the world's largest multiclient seismic
library, to leading edge geophysical expertise and to 85 subsurface
specialists distributed in key locations around the world. With
four attractive assets already in hand, Azimuth Ltd is a
well-funded, rapidly-growing exploration company equipped with the
technical capabilities of a mid-cap E&P firm.
Azimuth's management team is led by Aaron D'Este. Forward
Looking Statements CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING
STATEMENTS: Certain information in this press release constitutes
forward-looking statements under applicable securities law. Any
statements that are contained in this press release that are not
statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by
terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Eco
Atlantic to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without
limitation, risks associated with oil and gas production and
exploration, marketing and transportation; loss of markets;
volatility of commodity prices; currency and interest rate
fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; inability to access
sufficient capital from internal and external sources; government
regulation of petroleum and natural gas matters; environmental
risks; unanticipated reclamation expenses; title disputes or
claims, termination or amendment of existing contracts; actual
results of drilling activities; conclusions of economic
evaluations; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as
anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the
petroleum and natural gas industries and delays in obtaining or
failure to obtain any governmental approvals or licenses. . Readers
are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.
Although Eco Atlantic believes in light of the experience of its
officers and directors, current conditions and expected future
developments and other factors that have been considered
appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking
information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on
them because Eco Atlantic can give no assurance that they will
prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in
this press release are made as of the date hereof and Eco Atlantic
undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-
looking statements or information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by
applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor
its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Eco Oil & Gas
(Atlantic) Ltd. CONTACT: Gil HolzmanPresident and Chief Executive
Officergil@ecooilandgas.comTel: +972.508 884529 Julia
MaxwellManager, Investor Relationsjmaxwell@ecooilandgas.comTel:
+1.416.361.2211
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