Calgary, Alberta and Houston, Texas–(Newsfile Corp. – January 13, 2020) – PetroTal Corp. (TSX: TAL) (AIM: PTAL) (“PetroTal” or the “Company“), the Peruvian focused E&P company, is pleased to announce 2019 year-end production of 13,300 barrels of oil per day (“bopd”) from the Bretaña oil field, operated 100% by PetroTal.
2019 OIL PRODUCTION
The Company achieved 2019 exit rate production of 13,300 bopd and has averaged 12,500 bopd for the first eleven days of 2020. Average oil production from the Bretaña oil field for the fourth quarter was 7,757 bopd, a 77% uplift on the 4,382 bopd achieved during the third quarter of 2019. In 2019, PetroTal produced just over 1.5 million barrels of oil, representing average oil production of 4,131 bopd, an increase of over 330% from the average production of 958 bopd realized in 2018.
The 5H well continues to perform above expectations and has now produced 240,000 barrels of oil in its first 30 days of operation and is currently producing 6,500 bopd.
Commissioning of the central production facility (“CPF”) commenced on December 22, 2019 with the successful hydrostatic test of the new 20,000 barrel oil storage tank. Commissioning will continue for another 30 days while all components are flow tested. During this period, overall oil production at the field is expected to fluctuate.
YEAR END CASH
At December 31, 2019, PetroTal had cash of approximately US$21 million, inclusive of US$15 million received for oil delivered to the ONP pipeline from December 1 to 15 through the previously announced oil sales contract with PetroPeru. Going forward, the Company will receive monthly revenue payments under the terms of this oil sales agreement.
2020 CAPITAL BUDGET AND OUTLOOK
Within a week, the Company intends to announce its 2020 capital budget, which aims at replicating last year’s success by more than tripling annual production and achieving a 2020 exit rate of 20,000 bopd. PetroTal plans to achieve this by accelerating commissioning of the next phase of facilities to late August this year instead of year-end 2020.
Manolo Zuniga, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented:
“We’re pleased that we were able to exit 2019 at the upper end of the previously announced guidance, a new record oil production level for PetroTal. The entire PetroTal team worked extremely hard to accommodate the strong oil production of the 5H well during the CPF commissioning phase. Additionally, the implementation of the PetroPeru oil sales contract, enables the Company to receive regular monthly revenues for its oil production.”
ABOUT PETROTAL
PetroTal is a publicly‐traded, dual‐quoted (TSX: TAL) (AIM: PTAL) oil and gas development and production company domiciled in Calgary, Alberta, focused on the development of oil assets in Peru. PetroTal’s flagship asset is the Bretaña oil field in Peru’s Block 95 where oil production was initiated in June 2018, six months after acquisition, and within 18 months has exceeded the initial 10,000 bopd goal. Additionally, the Company has large exploration prospects and is actively engaged to find a partner to drill the Osheki prospect and other leads in Block 107. The Company’s management team has significant experience in developing and exploring for oil in all of Peru’s oil producing basins and is led by a Board of Directors that is focused on safely and cost effectively developing the Bretaña oil field. More information on the Company can be found at www.PetroTal‐Corp.com.
For further information, please see the Company’s website at www.petrotal-corp.com, the Company’s filed documents at www.sedar.com, or below:
Douglas Urch
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Durch@PetroTal-Corp.com
T: (713) 609-9101
Manolo Zuniga
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mzuniga@PetroTal-Corp.com
T: (713) 609-9101
Celicourt Communications
Mark Antelme / Jimmy Lea
petrotal@celicourt.uk
T : 44 (0) 208 434 2643
Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Financial Adviser)
James Spinney / Ritchie Balmer
T: 44 (0) 207 409 3494
Numis Securities Limited (Joint Broker)
John Prior / Emily Morris
T: +44 (0) 207 260 1000
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Broker)
Callum Stewart / Nicholas Rhodes / Ashton Clanfield
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7710 7600
READER ADVISORIES
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, and without limitation, this news release contains statements concerning PetroTal’s assessment of future plans and operations and the appointment of new directors of the Company. When used in this document, the words “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intent,” “may,” “project,” “should,” and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by PetroTal. Although PetroTal believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will be realized. Any number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: PetroTal may not obtain the required approvals from the TSX Venture Exchange and other factors more fully described from time to time in the reports and filings made by PetroTal with securities regulatory authorities. Please refer to the risk factors identified in the Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018 and management’s discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company 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 so required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/51359