PRESS RELEASE
9 March 2017
WENTWORTH RESOURCES LIMITED
("Wentworth" or "the Company")
Tanzania Reserves Update
Wentworth, the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: WRL) and AIM (AIM: WRL) listed independent, East Africa-focused oil & gas company, is pleased to announce the results of an independent evaluation of the gas reserves within the Mnazi Bay Concession in Tanzania, carried out by RPS Energy Canada Ltd. ("RPS"), Calgary, Canada on behalf of Maurel et Prom (Operator) and Wentworth Resources.
HIGHLIGHTS (net to Wentworth) as at 31 December 2016:
- Net Proved + Probable (2P) reserves are valued at US$180.3 million after tax (NPV10)
- Proved (1P) reserves: 110.1 Bscf gross (18.3 MMboe); 79.8 Bscf net (13.3 MMboe)
- Proved + Probable (2P) reserves: 181.0 Bscf gross (30.2 MMboe); 115.9 Bscf net (19.3 MMboe)
- Proved, Probable & Possible (3P) reserves: 270.7 Bscf gross (45.1 MMboe); 156.5 Bscf net (26.1 MMboe)
In the first full year of production, all wells have produced as expected, underpinning the quality of the Company's assets in Tanzania. With Mnazi Bay gas production from the existing gas wells stabilising and the expected significant ramp up in volumes starting in 2018 in line with the expected start-up of the new power plants, Kinyerezi I expansion and Kinyerezi II, the existing reserves provide a solid foundation to grow production from the Mnazi Bay concession in the near future. Wentworth holds 31.94% ownership in the Mnazi Bay Concession.
Geoff Bury, Managing Director, commented:
"We are delighted that this updated reserve report continues to support the quality of our reserves in Mnazi Bay. The results of this independent reserve report are consistent with the previous year and reinforces the potential of the Mnazi Bay fields. With production expected to materially ramp up in 2018, the successful performance of our existing wells and all the necessary infrastructure in place we look forward to sustained production from our valuable Tanzania asset."
Mnazi Bay, Tanzania Reserves:
Certain key extracts from RPS' Reserves Assessment follow and the complete report will be made available on the Company's website at www.wentworthresources.com.
| Reserves Summary for Mnazi Bay | |||||||
| as at December 31, 2016 | |||||||
| Reserve Category | Full Field | Wentworth 31.94% WI | |||||
| Gross Reserves | Gross (1) Reserves | Net(2) Reserves | |||||
| Sales Gas | BOE | Sales Gas | BOE | Sales Gas | BOE | ||
| (Bscf) | (MMbbl) | (Bscf) | (MMbbl) | (Bscf) | (MMbbl) | ||
| PDP | 105.1 | 17.5 | 33.6 | 5.6 | 27.2 | 4.5 | |
| PD | 160.1 | 26.7 | 51.1 | 8.5 | 42.1 | 7.0 | |
| 1P | 344.6 | 57.4 | 110.1 | 18.3 | 79.8 | 13.3 | |
| 2P | 566.6 | 94.4 | 181.0 | 30.2 | 115.9 | 19.3 | |
| 3P | 847.6 | 141.3 | 270.7 | 45.1 | 156.5 | 26.1 | |
- Gross Reserves are Wentworth's working interest share of Total Field Reserves.
- Net Reserves are calculated as the product of Wentworth's Gross Reserves and the ratio of Wentworth's net revenue to Wentworth's working interest share of field gross revenue.
| Wentworth Resources Working Interest Reserves for Mnazi Bay | |||||
| as at December 31, 2016 | |||||
| Reserve Category | NPV Before Tax (Millions US$) using discount factor of | ||||
| 0% | 5% | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Proved | |||||
| Producing | 86.5 | 79.1 | 72.6 | 67.0 | 62.1 |
| Non Producing | 26.5 | 22.2 | 18.5 | 15.4 | 12.9 |
| Undeveloped | 100.4 | 72.3 | 53.2 | 39.9 | 30.4 |
| Total Proved | 213.4 | 173.7 | 144.4 | 122.3 | 105.4 |
| Probable | 92.5 | 62.2 | 45.9 | 36.7 | 31.2 |
| Proved + Probable | 305.9 | 235.9 | 190.3 | 159.0 | 136.5 |
| Possible | 131.3 | 70.0 | 40.0 | 24.7 | 16.5 |
| Proved + Probable + Possible | 437.2 | 305.8 | 230.3 | 183.7 | 153.0 |
| Wentworth Resources Working Interest Reserves for Mnazi Bay | |||||
| as at December 31, 2016 | |||||
| Reserve Category | NPV After Tax (Millions US$) using discount factor of | ||||
| 0% | 5% | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Proved | |||||
| Producing | 85.2 | 78.0 | 71.7 | 66.2 | 61.4 |
| Non Producing | 23.8 | 20.1 | 16.8 | 14.1 | 11.8 |
| Undeveloped | 92.7 | 66.8 | 49.1 | 36.8 | 28.0 |
| Total Proved | 201.7 | 164.9 | 137.7 | 117.1 | 101.2 |
| Probable | 84.8 | 57.4 | 42.6 | 34.2 | 29.2 |
| Proved + Probable | 286.5 | 222.3 | 180.3 | 151.3 | 130.3 |
| Possible | 120.5 | 64.5 | 37.1 | 23.0 | 15.4 |
| Proved + Probable + Possible | 407.0 | 286.8 | 217.3 | 174.3 | 145.8 |
There has been no change to Prospective Resources in the Company's Mnazi Bay Concession.
Partners in the Mnazi Bay Concession are:
Maurel et Prom: 60.075% (Operator) through exploration; 48.06% production
Wentworth: 39.925% through exploration; 31.94% production
TPDC: 20% production
Notes and Glossary
These assessments are made in accordance with the standard defined in the SPE/WPC Petroleum Resources Management System (2007) and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook ("COGEH").
Gerold Fong, Vice President Exploration of the Company and an Exploration Geophysicist with over 30 years of international and frontier experience in many basins worldwide, has read and approved the technical disclosure in this regulatory announcement. Mr. Fong holds a B.Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Calgary and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientist of Alberta.
| Bscf | Billion standard cubic feet |
| BOE or boe | Barrels of oil equivalent |
| Contingent Resources | Quantities of petroleum estimated, as at a given date, to be potentially recoverable from known accumulations, but the applied project(s) are not yet considered mature enough for commercial development due to one or more contingencies |
| GIIP | Gas Initially In Place |
| MMbbl | Million barrels |
| MMboe | Million barrels of oil equivalent |
| NPV | Net present value (at a specified discount rate and specified discount date) |
| PDP | Proved developed producing |
| Gross Reserves | Reserves volumes before deductions for royalty |
| Net Reserves | Reserves volumes after deduction of royalty |
| 1P | Proved Reserves, those quantities of petroleum, which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable, from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under defined economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations. |
| 2P | Proved + Probable Reserves, those additional Reserves which analysis of geoscience and engineering data indicate are less likely to be recovered than Proved Reserves but more certain to be recovered than Possible Reserves. It is equally likely that actual remaining quantities recovered will be greater than or less than the sum of the estimated Proved plus Probable Reserves |
| 3P | Proved + Probable + Possible Reserves, those additional reserves which analysis of geoscience and engineering data suggest are less likely to be recoverable than Probable Reserves. |
| Prospective Resources | Petroleum deposits that are estimated, on a given date, to be potentially recoverable from accumulations yet to be discovered |
| Reserves | Quantities of petroleum anticipated to be commercially recoverable by application of development projects to known accumulations from a given date forward under defined conditions. |
| TPDC | Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation |
| WI | Working interest attributable to Wentworth |
-Ends-
The information contained within this announcement is considered to be inside information prior to its release, as defined in Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation No. 596/2014, and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of those Regulations.
| Enquiries: | ||
| Geoffrey Bury, Managing Director | gpb@wentworthresources.com +1 403 993 4450 | |
| Wentworth | Lance Mierendorf, Chief Financial Officer | lance.mierendorf@wentworthresources.com +1 403 680 8773 |
| Katherine Roe Vice President Corporate Development & Investor Relations & | katherine.roe@wentworthresources.com +44 7841 087 230 | |
| Crux Advisers | Investor Relations Adviser (Norway) | +47 909 808 48 |
| Carl Bachke | ||
| Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited | AIM Nominated Adviser and Broker (UK) | +44 (0) 20 7710 7600 |
| Callum Stewart Nicholas Rhodes | ||
| Ashton Clanfield | ||
| FirstEnergy Capital | Broker (UK) | +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 |
| Hugh Sanderson | ||
| FTI Consulting | Investor Relations Adviser (UK) | wentworth@fticonsulting.com +44 (0) 20 3727 1000 |
| Edward Westropp | ||
About Wentworth Resources
Wentworth Resources is a publicly traded (OSE:WRL, AIM:WRL), independent oil & gas company with: natural gas production; exploration and appraisal opportunities; and large-scale gas monetisation initiatives, all in the Rovuma Delta Basin of coastal southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique.
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements
This press release may contain certain forward-looking information. The words "expect", "anticipate", believe", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend", "forecast", "plan", and similar expressions are used to identify forward looking information.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made in light of management's experience, current conditions and expected future development in the areas in which Wentworth is currently active and other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Wentworth 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 required by applicable law.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcome will not occur, including some of which are beyond Wentworth's control. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the imprecision of resource and reserve estimates, assumptions regarding the timing and costs relating to production and development as well as the availability and price of labour and equipment, volatility of and assumptions regarding commodity prices and exchange rates, marketing and transportation risks, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in applicable law. Additionally, there are economic, political, social and other risks inherent in carrying on business in Tanzania and Mozambique. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. See Wentworth's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015, available on Wentworth's website, for further description of the risks and uncertainties associated with Wentworth's business.
Notice
Neither the Oslo Stock Exchange nor the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange has reviewed this press release and neither accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
