REG - Union Jack Oil PLC - USA Projects and Corporate Update

Union Jack OilAnnouncement

19/08/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 8213A  Union Jack Oil PLC  19 August 2024

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law
by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is
disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of
MAR.

 

19 August 2024

Union Jack Oil plc

("Union Jack" or the "Company")

USA Projects and Corporate Update

Andrews 2-17 Discovery

Farm-In to Taylor and Moccasin Q4 2024 Drill Programme

 

Union Jack Oil plc (AIM: UJO and OTCQB: UJOGF), a UK and USA focused onshore
hydrocarbon production, development, exploration and investment company is
pleased to announce a positive update in respect of the Company`s strategic
expansion into the USA and its rapidly growing oil and gas production and
revenue generating activities.

The Company is also pleased to confirm that, following completion and testing,
the Andrews 2-17 well has been declared a commercial discovery.

This update provides information on:

·    Production and development from the Andrews field, comprising the
Andrews 1-17 and recently drilled and completed Andrews 2-17 wells

·    The acquisition of a 45% interest in the Taylor and Moccasin wells to
be drilled in the Q4 2024 drilling campaign

·    General progress regarding Union Jack`s other USA activities

 

Andrews 1-17 (Union Jack 45%)

·    Andrews 1-17 well has been declared a commercial discovery

·    Since being placed on restricted and periodic test production during
late May 2024, the Andrews 1-17 well has produced 6,460 barrels of
high-quality, ultra-light oil with a gravity of approximately 46 degrees API
and 382,000 cubic feet of gas

·    Andrews 1-17 well is still under test production using a pump jack
whilst the optimum flow rate is being determined

·    Works to connect a gas pipeline to the Andrews 1-17 well have
recently been completed and gas has been sold to the market

·    Water produced from the Andrews 1-17 well will be transported via a
recently laid pipeline to the Coker injector well to rebuild reservoir
pressure in the Rogers and S&M production wells (Rogers Secondary Recovery
project - Union Jack 45%), providing considerable savings on OPEX costs at
Andrews-1 and allowing eventual production optimisation

·    Drilling and completion costs have already been paid for from the
Company`s cash resources

 

The primary target for the Andrews 1-17 well, the Hunton Limestone ("Hunton"),
one of the main hydrocarbon reservoirs in Oklahoma, was penetrated at
approximately 4,200 feet, showing high porosity, elevated gas readings with
good reservoir quality being interpreted on the wireline logs.

The Hunton is unconformably overlain by the main oil-prone source rock, the
Woodford Shale and is in an excellent position for the migration of oil.

 

Andrews 2-17 Well (Union Jack 45%)

·    Andrews 2-17 declared a commercial discovery

·    Well perforated in the Hunton and completed early August 2024

·    Andrews 2-17 is now on test production and free flowing high-quality,
ultra-light 46 degrees API gravity oil, significantly with no water

·    The well produces naturally due to a gas expansion drive

·    Since being placed on restricted and periodic test production from 7
August 2024, the Andrews 2-17 well has produced 544 barrels of oil and
1,895,000 cubic feet of gas

·    First oil and gas already being sold to market

·    Andrews 2-17 and 1-17 have been connected to a local gas pipeline and
product is being sold to Enerfin, a privately held natural gas and oil company
with several thousand miles of pipeline infrastructure in Oklahoma, Texas and
Louisiana

·    Under test conditions production rates of 184 barrels of oil and
320,000 cubic feet of gas per day have been recorded

·    Due to high wellhead pressure of 1,250 psi, oil and gas production is
currently constrained and the choke reduced to 14/64" (approximately 25% of
choke size)

·    Work is ongoing to reach optimum production on both Andrews wells to
obtain the perfect balance of choke size versus line pressure and oil rate

·    Production rates remain variable whilst a stable flow rate is
established

·    Drilling and completion costs have already been paid for from the
Company`s existing cash resources

 

The main objective for the Andrews 2-17 well, the Hunton Limestone, was
penetrated at 4,180 feet, showing elevated gas readings, good oil and gas
shows, stain and fluorescence from top to bottom of the Hunton interval.

 

 45% Farm-In and Drilling of the Taylor Well, Seminole County, Oklahoma

Union Jack has agreed to acquire from Reach Oil & Gas Inc ("Reach") a 45%
working interest in the Taylor well, planned to be drilled back-to-back with
the Moccasin well (described below) during Q4 2024.

Taylor is an untested 3D seismic supported Hunton Remnant prospect with
secondary targets in the Misener and Wilcox sands.

·    Analogue case indicates robust economics on success

·    Wilcox structures to the north and east of Taylor were prolific in
the 1920s, producing in the thousands of barrels of oil per day

·    Acreage includes Taylor Hunton Prospect, two Wilcox structures and
Misener field with possible infill location

·    Operator estimated 40% geological chance of success

·    Planning and back costs of US$309,000 paid to Reach

·    Costs for drilling and completion of the well are estimated to be
approximately US$516,000 net

·    Going forward, the costs of further wells will be based on an
unpromoted 45% working interest

·    Costs will be paid from existing cash resources

 

Historically, there have been several regional high-profile producing fields
such as North East Tibby (1,600,000 bbls oil), Gray (6,000,000 bbls oil) and
West Burnett (1,200,000 bbls oil).

 

45% Farm-In and Drilling of the Moccasin Well, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma

Union Jack has agreed to acquire from Reach a 45% working interest in the
Moccasin well which is planned to be drilled back-to-back with the Taylor well
described above.

Moccasin is an untested 3D seismic supported Hunton and Wilcox structure with
secondary targets in Pennsylvanian Channel Sands and Base Pennsylvanian
Unconformity Sand.

·    Analogue case indicates robust economics on success

·    Operator assesses a high chance of finding movable hydrocarbons in
the Base Pennsylvanian and an approximate 50% chance of success in other
target zones

·    Structure lies close to the Woodford Shale, the main source for light
oil across the region

·    Planning and back-costs of US$256,000 paid to Reach

·    Cost for drilling and completion of the well are estimated to be
US$600,000 net

·    Going forward, the costs of further wells will be based on an
unpromoted 45% working interest

·    Costs will be paid from existing cash resources

 

The Moccasin structure is a compressive feature associated with the regional
Wilzetta fault.  This strike slip fault was active through the Ordovician to
early Carboniferous periods and is responsible for several large oil
accumulations.  In the area of the planned Moccasin well, a deviation in the
fault has caused compressive forces forming numerous dome and fault structures
which have led to proven prolific oilfields such as the adjacent North-East
Shawnee and North-West Redhill fields that have produced more than 6,000,000
barrels of oil.

 

Wilzetta Diana-1 Footwall Fold Drilling Project, Seminole County, Oklahoma
(Union Jack 75%)

Union Jack has an agreement with Reach to drill the Diana-1 well, to test a
Footwall Fold Prospect within the Wilzetta Fault play, following the drilling
of the Taylor and Moccasin wells.

·    Main Wilzetta Fault zone target is underlain by a deeper structure
that will also be tested with a high-impact well with estimated recoverable
oil in excess of 200,000 bbls

·    High relief compressional fold with a large reverse fault

·    Prospect mapping supported by recently reprocessed 3D seismic data

·    The prolific Wilzetta Fault plays are the site of numerous oilfields
across central Oklahoma with nearby analogue production from:

-      North East Shawnee field, three miles south of the Diana-1 well
location, which has produced more than 5,800,000 barrels of oil to date

-      West Belmont field, which has produced more than 580,000 barrels
of oil to date

-      Arlington field, ten miles north-east of Diana-1, which has
produced more than I,800,000 barrels of oil to date

 

Rogers Secondary Recovery Project, Seminole County, Oklahoma (Union Jack 45%)

The Rogers enhanced oil recovery project is located approximately two
kilometres from the Andrews 1-17 discovery well and includes plans to
significantly increase delivery from Rogers and S&M, two legacy production
wells.

Base case secondary recovery volumes calculated by the Operator suggest that
up to a further 124,000 barrels of oil can be recovered. The Company believes
the project economics are highly attractive indicating future gross revenues
at prevailing oil prices of approximately US$7.5 million, and an IRR
approaching 80%.

Water production sourced from nearby wells will be injected into the Coker
injector well to rebuild reservoir pressure and increase hydrocarbon
production.

The directors believe the Rogers project offers an excellent strategic and
locational fit within the Company`s portfolio and will help provide
operational synergies and increase production and revenues.

 

East Shawnee 3D Seismic Acquisition Programme, Seminole County, Oklahoma
(Union Jack 37.5%)

The East Shawnee 3D seismic acquisition programme is designed to identify
further prospects along the Wilzetta Fault, also known as the Seminole Uplift.

Reach is currently completing permitting with the landowners, clearing lines
for a vibration source during September and will commence seismic acquisition
in early October 2024.

The objective of this 3D seismic acquisition programme is to generate
prospects to be drilled during the 2025 drilling campaign.

 

USA Corporate Update

Since the commencement of activities in the USA from a standing start in early
2024, Union Jack has made significant progress in building a cash generating
hydrocarbon venture and establishing a new corporate "North American brand"
complementing the Company`s already successful oil production and development
business in the UK.

The directors are delighted with the rapid progress made in the year-to-date
and we are already generating and banking oil and gas revenues from the
Andrews field where payback is expected on the Company`s initial investment
within six months.

The directors believe the balanced portfolio assembled in a short period of
time represents excellent progress by any standard.

The Mineral Royalty investments where Union Jack holds proxy interests in 165
wells are delivering a consistent, safe and attractive income stream. Return
on investment to date equates to approximately 20%+ and will be reported on
comprehensively in the Company`s Half Yearly Report which will be published
during September 2024.

During April 2024, Union Jack was admitted to trading on the OTCQB Venture
Market in the USA and trades under the ticker UJOGF.

The Company believes that dual trading of its ordinary shares on the OTCQB and
the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange will, in time, provide enhanced
investor benefits, including uncomplicated trading access for investors based
in the USA and increased liquidity due to a broader geographic pool of
investors.

Also in early April 2024, Harbor Access (web: harbor-access.com), a proactive
North American based Investor Relations Group, was appointed to represent
Union Jack and assist with increasing visibility and facilitating a better
understanding of the Company in the USA financial markets.

Lighthouse Equity Research, part of Sidoti & Company LLP has been engaged
to provide equity research coverage of Union Jack in the USA. Initial analysis
of Union Jack is expected to be published in early September 2024.

During the remainder of 2024, the Company intends to appoint a USA based
stockbroker to reinforce its recent initiatives in establishing an investor
base in the USA.

 

David Bramhill, Executive Chairman of Union Jack, commented: "Obviously I am
delighted at the initial success and significant progress being made in the
USA alongside our partners, Reach.

"It is difficult to believe that our entry into North America at the start of
the year would yield such material returns in such a short period of time.

"The hydrocarbon opportunities in Oklahoma are considerable and we look
forward to drilling the Taylor and Moccasin wells during Q4 2024, followed by
the Diana-1 well, all of which hold considerable upside on success.

"I look forward to reporting on further USA progress in the Half Yearly Report
and also on our valuable UK assets which include the cash generating Wressle
project, West Newton, Biscathorpe, Keddington and North Kelsey.

"We remain committed to all of our current UK projects and are cautiously
optimistic that fiscal and regulatory clarification from the new government
will allow the owners and entrepreneurs in our industry to move forward and
continue to provide reliable domestic production, supporting jobs and
delivering tax revenues for many years to come."

 

Miles Newman, Chairman of Reach commented: "We are very pleased that the
Andrews 2-17 well has come in as expected from our 3D seismic. We purchased a
Stryde node seismic system to efficiently and inexpensively acquire our own
seismic and are delighted to prove up the interpretations.

"The second well in the Andrews field encountered the productive Hunton
reservoir 30 feet up-dip from the Andrews 1-17 well. The gas sales line has
now been commissioned, on time and under budget. The well is free flowing good
quantities of oil and gas and is water free.

"The Andrews field is being developed and we are very excited to turn our
attention now to the Q4 2024 drilling campaign, targeting the Taylor and
Moccasin Prospects."

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 Union Jack Oil plc                      info@unionjackoil.com (mailto:info@unionjackoil.com)
 David Bramhill

 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP           +44 (0)20 3470 0470
 Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker
 Matthew Johnson
 Richard Hail
 Caroline Rowe

 Shore Capital                           +44 (0)20 7408 4090
 Joint Broker
 Toby Gibbs
 Harry Davies-Ball

 Gneiss Energy Limited                   +44 (0)20 9263 3983
 Financial Adviser
 Jon Fitzpatrick
 Paul Weidman

 Harbor Access                            +1 (475) 477 9402
 USA Investor Relations
 Jonathan Paterson

 BlytheRay                               +44 (0)20 7138 3204
 Financial PR
 Tim Blythe
 Megan Ray

 

 

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