Melrose Sees 23% Increase in 1H11 Production

- Melrose Sees 23% Increase in 1H11 Production

Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Melrose Resources plc

Melrose announced its interim results for the six month period ended 30 June 2011.

Operational highlights

• average production increased by 23 percent to 20.2 Mboepd on a net entitlement basis (equivalent to 38.0 Mboepd on a working interest basis)
• 3D seismic interpretation completed on the South East Mansoura concession (Egypt) confirming Cretaceous oil play potential
• 2D seismic acquisition completed on the Mesaha (Egypt) and Rhône Maritime (France) frontier exploration concessions
• operations on the South West Kanun (Turkey) exploration well are nearing completion with no oil shows yet encountered
• Concession Agreements signed for the Muridava and Est Cobalcescu licenses (Romania)
• entered into a two year extension on the Galata Block exploration concession (Bulgaria)

Financial highlights

• revenue increased to $155.8 million (H1 2010: $110.0 million)
• EBITDAX increased to $134.4 million (H1 2010: $86.3 million)
• profit after tax increased to $33.2 million (H1 2010: $4.1 million)
• net debt reduced to $367.3 million (H1 2010: $459.6 million)
• financial gearing of 107 percent (H1 2010: 140 percent)

Robert Adair, Executive Chairman commented, "The first half of 2011 represented an important turning point for the Company, with the production revenues from our two core areas in Egypt and Bulgaria allowing us to progress a number of high potential exploration initiatives.

"The Company has delivered a strong financial performance and our underlying profitability has continued to improve while we have made a major step towards reducing financial gearing.

"We look forward to making further progress in continuing to grow as a diversified, well balanced exploration and production company."

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

The first half of 2011 has been a period of strong financial performance for the Company as we began to see the benefits from our new Bulgarian gas field developments which came on stream late last year. Coupled with production from our existing Egyptian assets, the new fields have helped generate significant post tax profits and operating cash flow of $33.2 million and $104.9 million, respectively, and we are on track to reduce our financial gearing towards 100 percent by year end.

The Company achieved an average production rate of 20.2 Mboepd on a net entitlement basis (equivalent to 38.0 Mboepd on a working interest basis) during the first half of 2011. This was somewhat below forecast due to a number of operational factors in Egypt which we are addressing through a remedial drilling and work-over program. While these considerations should have a minimal impact on reserves, we feel it prudent to reduce our full year production guidance to 36.0 Mboepd on a working interest basis pending completion of the rig activities.

During the period we made good progress on a number of exploration initiatives as we strengthen the Company's focus on high growth opportunities. We completed the interpretation of the 3D seismic data which we acquired over the South East Mansoura concession in Egypt last year and were pleased to confirm significant oil potential in the Cretaceous exploration play. We plan to drill our first test well on this play later this year on a prospect called Al Hajarisah. We also completed the acquisition of key 2D seismic surveys over our high potential frontier exploration blocks in Egypt (Mesaha) and offshore France (Rhône Maritime). Detailed interpretation of these surveys is still ongoing but the preliminary analysis indicates that both blocks contain numerous large structures which could form the basis for hydrocarbon traps. We plan to drill our first well on Mesaha next year and envisage 3D seismic acquisition or drilling on the Rhône Maritime block within the same timeframe.

During the period, the Company announced the Concession Agreements for the Muridava and Est Cobalcescu concessions offshore Romania had been signed and we are looking forward to acquiring seismic surveys over these blocks in 2012 with a view to starting a drilling campaign in 2013. In addition, the Company has exercised its option to enter a two year extension of the Galata exploration permit in Bulgaria. Both these shallow water western Black Sea areas are highly prospective, containing a number of plays and have the potential to make a significant contribution to the Company's growth plans.

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Melrose to Shoot Seismic Survey in Bulgaria

- Melrose to Shoot Seismic Survey in Bulgaria

Friday, August 12, 2011
Melrose Resources plc

Melrose provided an update on its exploration activities in Bulgaria.

Drilling operations have been completed on the Kaliakra East-1 exploration well on the Galata block in the western Black Sea. The Palaeocene reservoir interval was found to be eroded at the drilled location and the well will be plugged and abandoned.

The Company is now moving ahead with its plans to shoot 500 square kilometers of 3D seismic over the central area of the Galata Block to the north of the Galata to Kaliakra field trend. Three further explorations leads have been identified in this area on regional 2D seismic data and these have combined prospective resources of 130 Bcf and an average chance of success 23 percent. A contractor has been selected to conduct the seismic survey which is scheduled to commence in September.

Commenting on Friday's announcement, David Thomas, Chief Executive, said, "Notwithstanding the Kaliakra East-1well results, the Galata Block remains relatively under-explored and we are looking forward to receiving the results of the 3D seismic survey over the central area of the concession. The combination of low development costs, strong regional gas prices and competitive terms make this one of the very attractive exploration environments for the Company."

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Melrose Commences Drilling at Bulgaria Block

- Melrose Commences Drilling at Bulgaria Block

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Melrose Resources plc

Melrose provided an update on its exploration activities.

Highlights 

• the Company is pursuing a number of high potential exploration initiatives and plans to allocate approximately 40 percent of its capital expenditure to drilling and seismic work programs over the next three years.
• the exploration program includes projects in proven hydrocarbon basins offshore Bulgaria and Romania, as well as new frontier exploration plays in northern and southern Egypt, Turkey and offshore France.
• the Company expects to complete three exploration wells in the second half of 2011, in Turkey (on its South Mardin acreage), Bulgaria (on the Galata block) and Egypt (on the South East Mansoura concession).
• the 2011 drilling program is targeting net unrisked prospective resources of 43 MMbbl of oil and 59 Bcf of gas and two of the wells are potentially new exploration play openers with significant follow-on opportunities.
• seismic surveys acquired in early 2011 on the Mesaha concession in southern Egypt and the Rhône Maritime block offshore France will help define the longer term exploration potential in these untested frontier areas.
• seismic data will be acquired later in the year offshore Bulgaria, where the Company hopes to extend the existing proven gas play to the north of the Galata-Kaliakra field trend.

Exploration Update

Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, the Company has received formal Government notification that the Galata block exploration permit has been extended to 4 February 2013 with a work program commitment including 3D seismic acquisition and one firm well.

Following receipt of the notification, the Kaliakra East exploration well was spudded on July 20 in the Galata block. The well is targeting a structure containing net prospective resources of 59 Bcf (P50 basis) with a chance of success of 34 percent and should take approximately one month to complete.

The Company is also moving forward with its plans to acquire 500 square kilometers of 3D seismic data within the Galata block to the north of the Galata-Kaliakra field trend. This area of the concession is thought to be on the gas migration path and contains a number of leads identified on the existing 2D seismic data. The 3D acquisition contract has been tendered and the survey is expected to commence in September this year.

Turkey

Drilling operations continue on the South West Kanun well on the Company's South Mardin acreage in southern Turkey. This well has dual objectives in the Cretaceous and Ordovician formations and is targeting net prospective resources of 37 MMbbl of oil with an average chance of success of 19 percent. Intermediate casing has been set at 3,814 feet and the well is currently drilling ahead at a depth of 5,910 feet. The well has experienced some minor operational delays associated with equipment procurement and is expected to complete in mid to late August.

Egypt

The processing and interpretation of the 3D seismic data recently acquired over the Cretaceous oil play in the South East Mansoura concession has been completed. The interpretation has confirmed the presence of multiple prospects and leads with combined unrisked prospective resources of 54 MMbbl. One prospect, called Al Hajarisah, has been selected for drilling in the fourth quarter 2011 and this has prospective resources of 6 MMbbl (working interest basis) and a chance of success of 21 percent.

On the Mesaha frontier exploration concession, the 2011 2D seismic survey has been completed with a total of 1844 kilometers of data acquired. The quality of the new seismic data is superior to the 2010 2D survey and has significantly improved the definition of the sedimentary basin. Based on this encouragement, the scope of the 2011 survey was expanded as compared to the original plan (which was to acquire 700 kilometers of data) and the processing and interpretation will complete around year end. The first well is expected to be drilled on the block in the second half of 2012.

Well flow testing operations have recently been completed on the West Zahayra-1 well which was a Qawasim formation discovery made in 2008, seven kilometers west of the West Dikirnis field. Prior to testing the original well was sidetracked by approximately 114 feet and the new wellbore encountered 39 feet of net oil pay with an average porosity of 16 percent.

During testing the well flowed good quality black oil (44 degree gravity) with only small amounts of gas. The well was produced for a period of 4 days but had an unstable flow regime with oil rates fluctuating between 80 and 280 bopd. The Company is currently evaluating whether, with an improved completion design, the well may be placed on commercial production and in parallel is reviewing the field appraisal options.

France

Preliminary interpretation of the 7,500 kilometers of 2D seismic data acquired on the Rhône Maritime block earlier this year has confirmed the presence of some significant structures on the block and detailed analysis is ongoing to ascertain whether the data exhibit any direct hydrocarbon indicators. The interpretation is due to be completed late in the fourth quarter.

Romania

Melrose is planning to acquire seismic data over the Muridava and East Cobalcescu blocks offshore Romania in 2012 during the summer. A provision of $17.8 million for these surveys was included as a contingent item in the Company's 2011 capital budget and this will be rephrased in the Company's next financial forecast.

Commenting on today's announcement, David Thomas, Chief Executive, said, "This is a key period in the Company's evolution as we transition from predominantly production and development related investments to place more emphasis on our exploration portfolio. We are looking forward to seeing the results from our exploration wells in Turkey and Bulgaria, both of which represent an important part of the Company's broader exploration program. The results of the West Zahayra flow test in Egypt are also encouraging since they have extended the oil productive area of the Mansoura concession and we will be reviewing the geologic interpretation of this region in parallel with our appraisal studies on the discovery."

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