Saudi Arabia - joining the dots

A series of blog entries exploring Saudi Arabia's role in the oil markets with a brief look at the history of the royal family and politics that dictate and influence the Kingdom's oil policy

AIM - Assets In Market

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Iran negotiations - is the end nigh?

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Yemen: The Islamic Chessboard?

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Acquisition Criteria

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Valuation Series

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Sunday 3 August 2014

Tullow exits Liberia and Sierra Leone

On 30 July, Tullow published in H1 2014 results.

Within the results, Tullow stated:

"After evaluating potential options in Liberia and Sierra Leone, Tullow made the decision not to renew its licence interests and will exit its position. Tullow’s interest in LB-15 in Liberia expired in June 2014 and its interest in SL-07B-11 in Sierra Leone will expire in August 2014, following which Tullow will have no licence interests in either country"


Acreage map taken from Simba Energy for Liberia shows Tullow's acreage position in that country:



Acreage map for Sierra Leone from Tullow and the Petroleum Directorate respectively:






Friday 1 August 2014

Afren - CEO and COO suspended re unauthorised payments


  • On 31 July 2014, Afren has temporarily suspended its CEO, Osman Shahenshah and the COO, Shahid Ullah
  • During an independent review by Willkie Farr & Gallagher, evidence had been uncovered showing the CEO and COO were in receipt of unauthorised payments
    • These payments were not made by Afren
    • The investigation continues, no conclusive findings to date
    • No evidence found that any other directors involved
  • Egbert Imomoh (Non-Executive Chairman) has been appointed as Executive Chairman
  • Toby Hayward (NED) has been appointed as interim CEO
  • Afren's H1 2014 results, originally scheduled for 4 August 2014, will now be postponed to no later than the end of August

SUPPLEMENTARY
OML113 and OPL 310
Aje and Ogo



Sunday 27 July 2014

Sebuku PSC

Overview

  • Contains 2 discoveries: Ruby gas field and the small Pangkat oil deposit
  • Plan of development for Ruby approved in July 2008
    • incorporates two bridge-linked platforms and initially four development wells
    • 312km pipeline to transport gas to new onshore receiving terminal for processing
    • Gas sold to the local Kaltim fertiliser plants
  • Ruby currently contracted to supply 85mmcfpd
    • Production capacity of 115mmcfpd, so scope to provide more gas
Participation
  • Mubadala (70%*), INPEX (15%), Total (15%)

Exploration
  • 11 wells drilled to date
  • Latest activity: Mubadala returned to drilling on the PSC in March 2010 - drilled NW Ruby-1 wildcat to test satellite prospect - unsuccessful
  • Further exploration planned
    • In March 2013, Mubadala awarded exploration block for the acreage surrounding Sebuku PSC, the West Sebuku block; 3D scheduled in 2014 with view to identifying future exploration prospects
Reserves, production and sales
  • Commercial WM: 215mmcfd (gross at 1/1/2014)
  • Production began in 2013 at 14mmcfpd, ramping up to 75mmcfpd in 2014
  • GSA signed in June 2011 for the supply of gas for 10 years to PT Pupuk Kaltim at c.80mmcfpd
    • Ruby gas to be predominantly used for fertiliser plant operations of the Kaltim V plant; however, as field declines, gas from other PSCs will be required to fulfil GSA
    • Price formula reflects local pricing and international ammonia and urea costs
      • Estimated USD/mcf: 2013 (7.7), 2014 (7.1), 2015 (7.0), 2016 (6.7)
Development
  • Currently produces from 4 wells, with additional drilling in future depending on reservoir performance
  • Installation/construction of onshore facilities finished at end 2012, offshore platforms in June 2013
  • First gas in October 2013
Fiscal and NPV
  • First Tranche Petroleum at 20%
  • Post-tax profit gas split is 65:35 in the government's favour; 80:20 for oil
  • Corporate tax of 40%
  • DMO applied at 6.7% after 60-month holiday, reimbursed at 15% of export price

Sunday 29 June 2014

ISIS: Sectarian furies unleashed again




The recent events in Iraq is a continuation of a rift between Sunni and Shias that began over a thousand years ago
  • Shias believed Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad should take over the leadership upon his death
  • Sunnis believed the Muslim community should determine the new leadership by consensus
  • Ali became the new leader, but upon his assassination in 661, war broke out between the two groups

Islamic terrorism once seemed to wear a Shi'ite face and put the US on the side of the Sunni Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
  • In 1979 Khomeini, leader of the Iranian revolution, overthrew the pro-American Shah if Iran, Pahlavi
    • Together with the Iran hostage crisis which saw 52 American diplomats and citizens held hostage between November 1979 and January 1981 made Iran an enemy of the West
    • In 1983, when Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah bombed US marine barracks in Beirut (Lebanon) made the US side with Hussein
  • The US also supported and trained jihadists, including Osama bin Laden, in their fight in Afghanistan against the Soviets
  • Bin Laden believed that Allah had empowered him and his followers to establish a new caliphate
    • The ambition became absolute Sunni authority and Sharia law over the Muslim world

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Ivar Aasen crib sheet



  • Contains 4 fields: Ivar Aasen, West Cable, Hanz, Asha
  • PDO approved in March 2013
  • Development costs relatively high
    • Discovery of Asha in December 2012, and inclusion of Asha in development improves economics
    • Edvard Greig and Johan Sverdrup could push cost of services market higher
    • Ivar Aasen expected to receive transitional terms , whereas other fields will be taxed under new terms


Participation
  • Ivar Aasen Area contains 3 licences
    • Ivar Aasen/West Cable (PL001B)
    • Hanz (PL028B)
    • Asha (PL457)
  • Field unitisation expected mid-2014
  • Estimated unitised participations are: Statoil (41.15%), Det Norske (28.8%)*, Bayerngas (12.34%), Wintershall (7.08%), EON (3.54%), Spike (3.54%), Verbundnetz (3.54%)
  • Note that on 25 June 2014, Det Norske increased its stake in PL457 (above unitisation does not reflect this)
    • EON to receive 15% WI in PL613 (Barents) and 10% WI in licence PL676S (North Sea) + Cash
    • Det Norske increases interest in PL457 from 20% to 40% WI


Reserves
  • WM Commercial reserves: 149mmbbl + 181bcf
    • Hanz: good reservoir – expect high RF
    • West Cable: strong acquisfer support – expect high RF
    • Ivar Aasen and Asha reservoir more complex, varying sand quality


 Production
  • Ivar Aasen, Asha and West Cable production from 2016; Hanz in 2019
  • High rates of gas production expected from some wells due to gas cap in Ivar Aasen and Hanz reservoirs
  • Wells will be drilled in order that gas production can be shut off to maximize oil recovery
  • Asha gas initially reinjected



Development
  • Ivar Aasen, Asha, West Cable: developed using fixed platform
    • 20 well slots with partial processing facilities
    • Production and injection wells will be drilled using jack-up positioned next to platform to 2016/17
  • Hanz will be developed using subsea tie back to Ivar Aasen platform
    • Exports via Edvard Grieg facilities

Thursday 5 June 2014

Eagle Ford Shale

Intro and history

  • Play in South Texas stretching into Louisiana; contributes c.10% towards US production
  • Three “windows” to the play – oil, gas-condensate, dry gas; focus has been on development of the liquids section
  • Eagle Ford formation not singled out until 2008 although routinely tested before then
  • Initial production was gas/condensates by Petrohawk with Apache testing oil around the same time
  • Big change in 2010: EOG acquired acreage in oil window, changing Eagle Ford into a liquids focused play


Well economics

  • Production and reservoir quality varies greatly in Eagle Ford; EURs can range from 200mboe to > 1mmboe per well
  • Drilling and completion costs: USD5.5-9.5m / well
  • Early Eagle Ford wells were completed with 10-stage hydraulic fracs; now common for 15-20 stages

Infrastructure


  • Ideally located to supply refineries in Corpus Christi and Houston
    • Short distance to Gulf Coast refineries reduces costs and allows for more transport options (barges, pipelines, rail and trucks)
  • Volume of crude, condensate and NGLs that require processing has led to the construction of several projects; trucks will continue as intermediate solution whilst projects are being completed
    • Eagle Ford Crude Oil Pipeline (Enterprise Products): 350mboepd capacity with interconnections to Seaway Pipeline and the new 5mmbbl Echo Terminal in houston
    • Kinder Morgan condensate pipeline: Eagle Ford to Pasadena, 300mbopepd capacity
    • Koch/NuStar/Arrowhead: 200mboepd capacity
    • Plains All American: Eagle Ford to Corpus Christi, 300mboepd capacity
Outlook
  • Operators looking to increase resource potential through down spacing and testing additional formations

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Bakken

Intro and history

  • Spans western North Dakota, eastern Montana in US and parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada
  • Named after Montana farmland owner Henry Bakken
  • Recoverable estimates continue to increase as more about the play is understood
  • First production in 1951, after which, formation began to be mapped
  • In mid-90s, Elm Coulee field discovered with significant oil accumulation in the middle Bakken member
    • In mid-2000s, EOG drilled the Nelson Farms 1-24H well; demonstrated H-wells with fracture stimulation could produce high IPs
    • In 2009, Continental Resources found that the Bakken and Three Forks formations were separate reservoirs and could be produced independently


Well economics

  • EURs highly dependent on location: range 200 to >1,000mboe, average 450-650mboe
  • Wells average USD9.5m to drill and complete, but can vary depending on length of lateral and material usage
    • 10,000ft laterals and 40 fracture stages becoming common
    • Implementation of pad drilling is reducing costs


Infrastructure

  • c.65% oil shipped via rail; enables access to higher Gulf Coast sales prices (Light Louisiana Sweet “LLS”)
  • 2012 production: >700mbopd vs. 2007 production: c.200mbopd
  • Transporting to Gulf Coast has been economically more attractive than to the oil congested WTI hub at Cushing, Oklahoma
  • Explosive growth meant existing inter and intra-state pipelines quickly reached capacity
    • Within play, crude transported by truck
    • Outside play, rail and pipeline used
    • Rail (USD15-20/bbl) is more expensive than pipeline (USD8-9/bbl), but allows access to LLS pricing


Outlook

  • Cost reduction
  • Expand longevity of play by testing lower Three Forks
  • Down spacing
  • Secondary and tertiary recovery