Abraxas Petroleum Built Around Solid Conventional Assets; Expanded Capital Program of $60 million for 2011; Most of its capex is going to producing more oil!!

Abraxas reported 2010 year-end reserves totaled 26.6 mmboe up 7% over 2009 despite selling 9% of proved reserves in our divesture program. The company operates wells in the Bakken, West Texas, South Texas, and Canada. Abraxas has outside operated wells in the Bakken. Most of its capex is going to producing more oil. Its goal this year 2011 is to try to get to a 50% oil/gas mix. In the Eagle Ford, it would like to accelerate its partnership with the JV. Last year it had asset sales of $34 million (non-core and non-operated). The money is used for this year's capex and to pay down debt. It would like to eventually get 90% of its assets operating.

Source: Derrick Petroleum E&P Transactions Database

Currently, Abraxas has south and West Texas conventional assets, Eagle Ford and northern Rockies and Canada conventional resource plays, including the Bakken and the Niobrara.

Abraxas has 8,333 acres in Eagle Ford. This location, part of a $25 million equity investment, is 43% oil, 35% gas/condensate, and 22% gas window. The company also has approximately 14,000 acres in the Niobrara shale, with 3,800 gross acres leased and 11 producing wells. Its holdings are in the same area with Chesapeake (CHK) and EOG Resources. In the Southern Alberta Bakken it has approximately 10,000 acres leased. Abraxas also has a small holding in the Pekisko Fairway in Canada.

Abraxas' Rocky Mountain assets has 7.2 MMBoe in proven reserves; 63% of this is proved developed, 82% is crude oil, with 1063 Boepd of production, 900 gross producing wells, and 90,362 gross acres. Primary locations here are the Willston Basin, Powder River Basin, Green River Basin, and Unita Basin.

The Permian Basin has 5.6 MMBoe of proved reserves; 66% proved developed; 70% is natural gas. There is also 1254 Boepd of production; 237 gross producing wells; 36,064 acres, The primary producing sub-basins are the Delaware Basin and Eastern Shelf.

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The Gulf Coast has 9 MMBoe of proved reserves; 38% is proved developed; 91% is natural gas; 1044 Boepd of production. This area has 74 gross producing wells, and Abraxas has 11,414 acres in the area. The primary sub-producing basin is the Onshore Gulf Coast.

This company looks to be another oil and gas exploration and production company with great assets that, in time, could turn into something great if everything works out. It is well positioned, especially if oil gets up to around a $100 a barrel and stays there for a while.

Rosneft and Lukoil team up to jointly explore Arctic shelf

Rosneft will open its licencing zones to Lukoil off of Russia's oil-and-gas-rich Arctic Yamal peninsula.

Given the successful development of their mutual cooperation, and with the goal of raising the profitibility of existing projects, Rosneft and Lukoil have agreed to join forces in the following areas:

• Oil exploration & development, development and transportation of hydrocarbons in the license areas of the Nenets Autonomous District;
• Exploration in the areas licensed to Rosneft on Russia’s Arctic shelf and development of fields that are already open, within the framework of current Russian legislation;
• Development of the market for domestic petroleum products, petrochemicals, gas processing and base oils;
• Joint marketing of associated and natural gas from fields in the Bolshekhetskaya and Vankor zones;
• Joint deliveries of petroleum products, liquefied gas and petrochemical products to the distribution and production facilities of both companies;
• Development of solutions for improving production efficiency for petrochemical products, oil and gas, in Russia and abroad;
• Use of existing logistics infrastructure, including transshipping facilities for crude oil, refined pretroleum products and petrochemical products that are for export; and development and execution of transportation infrastructure projects for petroleum products, including the construction of a product pipeline interconnecting with the "Moscow product ring," and the "South” project.

This marks Lukoil's first offshore deal in Russia since launching the Korchagin oil field in the Caspian Sea last year, Lukoil is also venturing out of Russia, actively seeking US shale gas opportunities (Lukoil planning shale JVs in 2011). Rosneft has been aggressively partnering with foreign majors including BP, Chevron and ExxonMobil for developing its offshore fields.

Key projects of Rosneft and Lukoil:

1. Joint transportation of gas from the Vankor field and the Bolshekhetskaya Depression.
On 12 April 2011, Lukoil and Rosneft signed an agreement, under which Rosneft will independently transport gas from the Vankor field and adjoining license areas to Lukoil’s infrastructure. In turn, LUKOIL will transport gas through its facilities to Gazprom’s gas transportation system. At present, Lukoil and Rosneft are building their own gas pipeline sections and infrastructures.

2. Priazovneft
Rosneft and Lukoil each own a 42.5-percent stake in Priazoneft.  The Administration of the Krasnodar Territory owns the remaining 15 percent. Priazovneft is developing the Temryuksko-Akhtarsk license area on the shelf of the Azov Sea. In 2008, the “New” oil field was opened. The field’s recoverable reserves are: Oil: C1 - 0.87 million tonnes; C2 – 2.25 million tonnes; Gas: C1 – 319 million m3; C2 - 820 million m3. Seismic work is currently underway.

3. Caspian Oil Company
Rosneft and Lukoil each own 49.9 percent of the Caspian Oil Company; Gazprom owns the remaining 0.2 percent. In 2008, the West-Rakushechnaya field in the north-Caspian area was opened. In 2010, an assessment well was drilled at the Ukatnaya structure. Open non-industrial deposit.http://docsearch.derrickpetroleum.com/research/q/Rosneft.htmlhttp://docsearch.derrickpetroleum.com/research/q/Rosneft.htmlhttp://docsearch.derrickpetroleum.com/research/q/Lukoil.html

Adverse weather conditions affected Santos Q1 2011 Operational results; Revised 2011 Production Guidance to 47-50 mmboe

Santos reports oil and natural gas production of 11 mmboe for first quarter 2011, down 11% than the corresponding period. This is due to adverse weather in Central and Western Australia. Due to this, Santos revised production guidance for the year 2011 from 48-52 mmboe to 47-50 mmboe.

Operational update during the Quarter:

GLNG 

Sales gas production of 2.4 PJ (412.65 kboe)was 50% lower than Q1 2010 due to Santos’ interest in GLNG reducing from 60% in Q1 2010 to 30% in Q1 2011 following the sale of interests in the project to Total and KOGAS.

Carnarvon Basin

Gas production from the John Brookes field of 10.3 PJ (1771 kboe) was 17% lower than Q1 2010 due to cyclone activity and lower customer nominations. Mutineer-Exeter production of 0.05 mmbbl was 67% lower than the previous quarter due to unplanned FPSO repairs in January and February 2011. Stag production of 0.35 mmbbl was 46% higher when compared to Q4 2010 due to the completion of two new development wells following a drilling campaign during Q4 2010.

Bayu-Undan / Darwin LNG

Gross Bayu-Undan gas production of 50.9 PJ (8,752 kboe) was 16% higher than Q1 2010.  Santos’ net entitlement production of 3.7 PJ (636 kboe)was marginally higher than Q1 2010.

Indonesia

Indonesia sales gas production of 10 PJ (1,719 kboe) was 3% higher than Q1 2010 due to temporary high gas demand from Maleo. Crude oil production of 0.11 mmbbl, down 8% lower over  Q4 2010 mainly due to Oyong oil field natural decline.

Key Exploration Activities:

Source: Derrick Petroleum Planned Exploration Wells Database

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Canadian assets worth $7 billion on the market, contributes 15% to global deals in play

Source:Global E&P Transactions 2010 Review

Canadian oil sands reported $12.8bn in asset sales, corporate acquisitions and joint ventures for 2010. The Montney (BC & Alberta)  recorded $2.3bn in trades or 5x times 2009 total and twice 2008 deals less Shell-Duverney. The number of oil sands deals went up, but the average deal value decreased significantly due to the 2009 Petro-Canada Suncor $18bn merger. Bakken & Saskatchewan plays totalled $2.6bn. The Montney and Bakken unconventional plays made up ~10% of the Canadian transactional market place.

Canadian assets worth $7billion on the market in Q1 2011

Source: Derrick Petroleum E&P Transactions Database

$7bn of assets on the market, corporate acquisitions and development assets worth $5.46 bn in Q1 2011. 


Key assets on the market

Source: Derrick Petroleum E&P Transactions Database

Parex acquires remaining interests in four Colombian blocks from Remora Energy for $255M

Parex Resources Inc has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Columbus Energy Sucursal’s (a wholly owned subsidiary of Remora Energy) 50% share in four Llanos Basin blocks for total consideration of $255 million, subject to customary adjustments. Parex already holds the remaining 50% interest in the blocks. The acquisition is effective January 1, 2011 and is expected to close no later than June 29, 2011.

Acquisition Highlights :
-- Increases working interest from 50% to 100% in each of the four Llanos basin blocks namely, LLA-16, LLA-20, LLA-29 and LLA-30.
-- Block LLA-16: This block covers an area of 78,772 net acres and holds Kona multizone light oil discovery (35 degree API oil). In 2011, Parex expects to drill six appraisal/development wells on Block LLA-16 at the Kona discovery, of which two wells have been drilled and cased to date. Effective, March 31, 2011, it holds Proved Reserves of 1.066 MMbbl, 2P Reserves of 5.2 MMbbl and 3P Reserves of 9.6 MMbbl. Current production from the discovery is 1,160 BO/d. The block also holds few exploration prospects - Java, Sulawesi, Moragogi and Merida.
-- Exploartion activities are on going in Block LLA-20, LLA-29 and Block LLA-30.
-- The GLJ Report, effective March 31, 2011, included future development capital of $24.2 million for 2P reserves and $34.6 million for 3P reserves.
-- Acquisition metrics (excluding future development capital): 2P Reserves - $49.42/BOE and 3P Reserves - $26.48/BOE.
-- As of December 31, 2010, NPV-10 of 3P Reserves - $239.105 million and NPV-10 of 2P Reserves - $149.321 million.

Source: Derrick Petroleum E&P Transactions Database

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Encana Reports Positive Operational Results for Q1 2011 results; Plan to ramp up Development and Exploration activities in its extensive 1.7 million acres!!!

Encana reported average production of 3.34 Bcfepd for Q1 2011, up 2% over first quarter 2010. The company is on-track to meet 2011 year-end production guidance of between 3.475 Bcfepd and 3.525 Bcfepd for 2011. The company has accelarated oil and NGLs production from its extensive liquids-rich lands – now covering more than 1.7 million acres in Canada and the U.S.

Encana redirected a portion of our capital investment to oil and natural gas liquids development and exploration to build facilities to extract more liquids from our high energy-content natural gas streams. The company is drilling liquids-prone targets on our existing lands, expanding developments into liquids-rich areas, exploring for oil, and acquiring large and significant positions in highly-prospective liquids-rich lands. “The capital investment associated with these multiple initiatives is expected to represent about $1 billion in 2011,” Eresman, President & CEO, Encana said.

Encana has assembled about 190,000 net acres in the Simonette and Kaybob areas of the Duvernay shale in Alberta, adding to its existing 380,000 net acres of liquids-rich lands in the Alberta Deep Basin and 495,000 net acres in the Montney in Alberta and British Columbia. In Colorado, Encana holds about 240,000 net acres in the Piceance and Denver-Julesburg (DJ) basins where the company has identified liquids potential in the Niobrara and Mancos shales. In Michigan this year, Encana plans to expand evaluation drilling on its 425,000 net acres in the Collingwood shale.

Encana offers Horn River and Greater Sierra JV and acquisition opportunities in northeast B.C.

Encana’s joint-venture investment strategy is aimed at accelerating value recognition of the company’s resource potential. This new joint venture initiative builds on previous announcements of a farm-out agreement with Kogas Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Korea Gas Corporation, in the Horn River and Montney formations and a planned joint venture and acquisition by PetroChina of a 50% interest in Encana’s Cutbank Ridge business assets. RBC Capital Markets and Jefferies & Company, Inc. have been retained by Encana to conduct the potential joint venture and divestiture processes on the Horn River and Greater Sierra assets.

Source: Derrick Petroleum E&P Transactions Database

Vedanta acquires 10.4% stake in Cairn India from Petronas for $1.5 billion! Indian upstream sector - Magnetising the foreign players.

Vedanta Resources Plc announced the acquisition of a 10.4 % stake in Cairn India Limited by Sesa Goa (a subsidiary of Vedanta) from Petronas. Sesa Goa acquired 200 million shares amounting to a 10.4 % stake in Cairn India from Petronas at Rs 331 (US$7.48), a 1.6% discount to Cairn India's closing prices on Monday. Petronas sold its entire 14.9% stake in Cairn India with domestic and foreign institutions buying the rest.

Cairn India produces about 125,000 barrels a day of oil from the Mangala field in the Rajasthan block. Cairn India may start the Bhagyam field in Rajasthan in the second half of 2011 and reach peak output of 40,000 barrels a day by the end of the year.

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Vedanta keen on Cairn!!

Vedanta, in August 2010, had proposed to buy up to 51% stake in Cairn India from Cairn Energy for as much as ~$8.8 billion. As announced on 13 December 2010, Vedanta received shareholder approval for the purchase of a 51%-60% interest in Cairn India. The transaction is yet to receive the Indian government's approval, due to a dispute in royalty payments.

Subsequent to the deal to buy Cairn India at Rs 405 a share, Vedanta announced an open offer to buy an additional 20% stake at Rs 355 a piece. The Rs 405 a share price that Vedanta is paying to Cairn Energy, includes a Rs 50 per share non-compete fee, which is not being paid to minority shareholders.

Vedanta is now in quite comfortable position even if the response to the open offer is moderate.

Indian Upstream Sector- A Magnetiser!!

2011- A big year for Indian Upstream sector.. This year is marked with two significant transactions

- BG's $7.2 billion alliance with Reliance

- Vedanta's offer to acquire upto 51% stake in Cairn India for ~$8.8 billion.

These deals show the confidence of the foreign players in the Indian oil sector. Many more players to venture into India with the path set by these two deals.

The following slide shows the overview of the Vedanta-Cairn India deal

Source: Global E&P Transactions 2010 Review