SANTA BARBARA, CA, April 10, 2012 /CNW/ - Underground Energy
Corporation ("Underground", "UGE" or the "Company") reports a
correction from source with respect to the news release of
Underground published at 7:00 am ET, on April 10, 2012. As a
result of a clerical error, the total light oil proved producing
reserves of Underground, on a gross basis, was incorrectly reported
in the first table appearing in the release as 3 Mbbls (3,000
barrels), which has been corrected to 39 Mbbls (39,000
barrels). The complete and corrected release follows, which
replaces the prior press release of Underground: Underground today
released information on its Chamberlin 4-2 well, the initial well
drilled by the Company at its recently acquired 7,750 acre
Chamberlin lease in the Zaca Field Extension Project ("Zaca") in
Santa Barbara County, California. The Company holds an 80% working
interest in the Chamberlin lease, which surrounds the existing Zaca
Field on three sides. The Company spudded the Chamberlin 4-2 well
on February 28, 2012 and the well reached a total depth of 6,679
feet on March 23, 2012. The Company is very encouraged by the
results from this well which encountered oil shows in a number of
sections and, in particular, penetrated more than 900 feet of
continuous, strong oil shows in a section of Monterey consistent
with the most productive sections at the existing Zaca field and
elsewhere in the Santa Maria Basin. The intervals in this
section of Monterey typically contain a high density of natural
fractures which is key to completing productive wells.
Initial results from the Chamberlin 4-2 well, including 32 feet of
oil bearing, highly fractured core that was recovered from the top
of this section of Monterey, indicate that this well encountered a
similar density of natural fractures. In addition, the 900 foot oil
column penetrated by the Chamberlin 4-2 well is in a new fault
block, the Chamberlin East Fault Block, not previously penetrated
by any wells at the existing Zaca field and it, therefore, has the
potential for virgin pressure and to yield production rates similar
to wells drilled early in the life of the existing field by Getty
Oil. The Company's recently acquired 2D swath seismic survey had
indicated the possible presence of the Chamberlin East Fault Block
and it became one of the key targets for the Chamberlin 4-2 well,
which has now confirmed the discovery of this new fault block. The
Chamberlin East Fault Block is 1,500 to 2,000 feet deeper than the
main productive fault block at the existing Zaca field, which is
only one-half mile west of the Chamberlin 4-2 well, and which has
produced more than 32 million barrels of oil from 61 wells to date.
The Company had designed the Chamberlin 4-2 well with the
expectation that it would produce from this shallower fault block,
however, the shallower fault block was not encountered during
drilling, at which point the Company elected to continue drilling
to test the new Chamberlin East Fault Block. Following the
discovery of the Chamberlin East Fault Block, the Chamberlin 4-2
well encountered mechanical issues and delays. These delays
lead to well bore instability and, as a result of the well not
being designed to produce from this deeper fault block, the Company
decided it was prudent to plug-back the well to the intermediate
casing and to drill a new well specifically designed to produce
from the Chamberlin East Fault Block. At a later date, the Company
intends to re-drill the Chamberlin 4-2 well from the intermediate
casing back towards the existing Zaca Field targeting the shallower
fault block. The plug-back work has been completed and the
Chamberlin 4-2 well is now suspended awaiting re-design and then
re-entry. The Company is now moving the rig to an adjacent surface
location and is about to commence drilling a "twin" well, the
Chamberlin 3-2, offsetting the Chamberlin 4-2 well by approximately
300 feet. This well will directly target the newly discovered
Chamberlin East Fault Block and information gained in drilling the
Chamberlin 4-2 well will be used in designing, drilling, completing
and ultimately producing the Chamberlin 3-2 well. The Company
expects the Chamberlin 3-2 well to be drilled, completed and
production tested by mid-May. As originally planned, once the
Chamberlin 3-2 well has been drilled, the Company plans to move the
rig to its other permitted drilling pad within the Zaca Eastern
Extension Project area and to drill up to three additional wells
from that site. "We are excited about the strong oil shows
encountered in the newly discovered Chamberlin East Fault Block,
which has the right rock properties and potential reservoir
pressure to be as prolific a producing block as the main fault
block at the existing Zaca Field," said Mike Kobler, President and
CEO of Underground Energy. "While geologic conditions meant that we
were not able to complete and produce the Chamberlin 4-2 well, we
are confident that the Chamberlin 3-2 well will confirm the initial
results from the 4-2 well and we believe that it will provide the
production results and validation required to proceed with a
multiple well development program." GLJ Reserves Evaluation as at
December 31, 2011 The Company today also announced the results of
the year-end reserve evaluation conducted by GLJ Petroleum
Consultants Ltd. ("GLJ") of Calgary, the Company's independent
reserve engineers. In a report dated April 9, 2012, GLJ
evaluated the Company's proved, probable, and possible reserves as
at December 31, 2011 in accordance with the Canadian standards and
requirements of National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of
Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities, the results of which are
summarized below. Prospective and contingent resources on
each of the Company's prospects were not evaluated by GLJ, although
the Company intends to have such an evaluation completed in the
next two to three months. Gross(1) Net(2) Reserves Category Mbbl(3)
Mbbl(3) Proved Proved Producing Light Oil 39 32 Heavy Oil - -
Proved Undeveloped Light Oil 47 38 Heavy Oil 480 376 Total Proved
Light Oil 86 69 Heavy Oil 480 376 Total Proved(1P) 566 445 Probable
Light Oil 179 144 Heavy Oil 1,300 1,017 Total Probable 1,479 1,161
Total Proved plus Probable (2P) 2,045 1,606 Possible(4) Light Oil
296 238 Heavy Oil 1,820 1,424 Total Possible 2,116 1,662 (3P) Light
Oil 561 451 Heavy Oil 3,600 2,817 Total Provedplus Probable
plusPossible(3P) 4,161 3,268 Notes: 1. "Gross" reserves means
Underground's working interest (operating and non-operating) share
before deduction of royalties and without including any royalty
interest of Underground. 2. "Net" reserves means Underground's
working interest (operating and non-operating) share after
deduction of royalty obligations, plus Underground's royalty
interest in reserves. 3. Totals for each category are reported on
an "oil equivalent" basis which represents total light oil and
heavy oil, in thousands of barrels of oil. 4. Possible reserves are
those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered
than probable reserves. There is a 10% probability that the
quantities actually recovered will equal or exceed the sum of
proved plus probable plus possible reserves. The estimated pre-tax
value of the future net revenues associated with Underground's
reserves at various discount rates as at December 31, 2011 are set
forth as follows: Before Tax Net Present (thousands of US dollars)
ValueSummary Discount Rate Undiscounted 5% 10% 15% 20% Proved
Proved Producing 2,065 1,916 1,788 1,678 1,583 Proved Developed 0 0
0 0 0 Non-Producing Proved Undeveloped 23,652 12,268 7,219 4,535
2,910 Total Proved 25,717 14,183 9,007 6,214 4,493 Total Probable
75,963 46,258 31,658 23,265 17,903 Total Proved Plus Probable
101,680 60,441 40,665 29,479 22,395 Total Possible 114,836 64,201
40,938 28,290 20,591 Total Proved Plus Probable 216,516 124,642
81,603 57,769 42,986 Plus Possible Notes: 1. The estimated future
net revenues are stated before deducting future estimated site
restoration costs and are reduced for estimated future abandonment
costs and estimated capital for future development associated with
the reserves. 2. All future net revenue values calculated utilizing
GLJ January 1, 2012 oil price forecast for WTI delivered into
Cushing, OK corrected for oil gravity and local price
differentials. 3. It should not be assumed that the discounted
future net revenues estimated by GLJ represent the fair market
value of the reserves. 4. Possible reserves are those additional
reserves that are less certain to be recovered than probable
reserves. There is a 10% probability that the quantities actually
recovered will equal or exceed the sum of proved plus probable plus
possible reserves. "GLJ's estimates validate the purchase price of
our November 2011 asset acquisition and show the accretive nature
of that transaction. In addition, considering recent seismic
and drilling work, including the discovery of the East Chamberlin
Fault Block at Zaca, which all occurred subsequent to December 31,
2011, we believe these GLJ numbers provide a great reserve base
from which we will grow in the coming months," said Mike Kobler.
"Given recent and ongoing progress at Zaca, we plan to update our
third party reserve estimates and obtain a prospective resource
report by an independent reserve evaluator over the next two to
three months." About Underground Energy Corporation Underground
Energy is focused on identifying, acquiring rights to, exploring
for, developing and producing oil reserves from shale formations in
North America using the latest exploration and recovery techniques
and technologies. Underground focuses on identifying and acquiring
sizable land positions and prospects in historically prolific but
under-explored shale formations as well as in emerging shale plays
that, in both instances, hold large volumes of prospective
resources. Underground currently holds hydrocarbon rights on
approximately 69,291 net acres of highly prospective lands in
California and Nevada with an initial focus on the Monterey shale
in California. Underground is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
under the ticker symbol "UGE". For more information on Underground,
including a copy of the Company's latest corporate presentation,
please visit www.ugenergy.com. Underground's regulatory filings are
available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Cautionary
Statements Statements in this press release contain forward-looking
information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of
applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking
information"). Forward-looking information is frequently
characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project",
"intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar
words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or
"will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in
this press release includes, without limitation, statements with
respect to: (i) the nature of the formation encountered by the
Chamberlin 4-2 well; (ii) the Company's plan to re-drill the
Chamberlin 4-2 well from the intermediate casing back towards the
existing Zaca Field targeting the shallower fault block; (iii) the
Company's plans and expectations for the Chamberlin 3-2 well; (iv)
the Company's drilling plans following the completion of the
Chamberlin 3-2 well; and (v) the Company's plans for updated
reserve and resource evaluations. Although we believe that the
expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking
information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such
expectations or assumptions will prove to be correct. In
particular, assumptions have been made that: (i) the formations
encountered by the Chamberlin 4-2 well will demonstrate
characteristics similar to formations encountered by other industry
participants that have drilled wells on the Zaca Field; (ii)
Underground will be able to obtain equipment, qualified staff and
regulatory approvals in a timely manner to carry out its planned
exploration and development activities; (iii) Underground will have
sufficient financial resources with which to conduct its planned
capital expenditures; and (iv) the current regulatory and tax
regime will remain substantially unchanged. Certain or all of the
forgoing assumptions may prove to be untrue. Forward-looking
information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at
the date the statements are made, and is subject to a variety of
risks and uncertainties and other factors (many of which are beyond
the control of Underground) that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those anticipated in the
forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other
factors could cause results to differ materially from those
expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not
limited to: operational risks in exploration, development and
production; delays or changes in plans; competition for and/or
inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; competition
for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves,
undeveloped lands, skilled personnel and supplies; risks associated
to the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; governmental
regulation of the oil and gas industry, including environmental
regulation; geological, technical, drilling and processing
problems and other difficulties in producing reserves; the
uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and
expenses; unanticipated operating events or performance which can
reduce production or cause production to be shut in or delayed;
incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; the need to
obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market
volatility; volatility in market prices for oil and natural
gas; liabilities inherent in oil and natural gas operations; access
to capital; and other factors. Readers are cautioned that
this list of risk factors should not be construed as
exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this
news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary
statement. Underground does not undertake any obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements to conform such
information to actual results or to changes in our expectations
except as otherwise required by applicable securities
legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information. Certain information
contained herein is considered "analogous information" as defined
National Instrument 51-101. Underground is unable to verify
whether such information has been prepared in accordance with NI
51-101 and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and
Underground is unable to confirm whether such estimates have been
prepared by a qualified reserves evaluator. The information on the
historic production of wells drilled by other industry participants
on the Zaca Field was obtained from California Division of Oil, Gas
and Geothermal Resources on August 24, 2011. The information has
been provided to demonstrate the potential for similar aggregate
production for certain wells to be drilled by Underground at the
Zaca Field. 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 release. Underground Energy Corporation
CONTACT: Peter BallacheyChief Financial OfficerUnderground Energy
CorporationTel: 805-845-4700 x 17Simon ClarkeVice President,
Corporate DevelopmentUnderground Energy CorporationTel:
604-551-9665
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