
EGDON RESOURCES
PLC
(“Egdon” or “the Company”)
Acquisition
of YCI Resources Limited
The Directors of Egdon Resources plc are pleased to announce
that the company has reached agreement to acquire the entire
issued share capital of
YCI Resources Limited (“YCIR”) from the Heyco Energy Group (“Heyco”).
YCIR
is a
UK
registered private company whose
principal asset is a 16.667% interest in PEDL070, which
contains the Avington oil field and is located in the Weald
Basin of Southern England. YCIR also has a 33.334% interest
in adjacent licence PEDL069 which Egdon maps as containing a
possible northerly extension to the Avington field. This
transaction will increase Egdon’s interests to 36.667% in
PEDL070 and to 66.667% in PEDL069.
The consideration for the transaction will be the issue to
Heyco of
6,861,434 Ordinary shares in Egdon. In addition Egdon will
grant Heyco a Net Profit Interest (“NPI”) on current and
future production from the licences. The NPI, which is
related to oil price, will range between 5% and 10% of Egdon’s
net revenues realised from the licences after subtracting
allowable costs.
The acquisition is subject to review by the Secretary of
State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform following
which the transaction will be completed and application will
be made for the consideration shares to be admitted to AIM.
The
Avington oil field was discovered in 2003 with the drilling of
the Avington-2 well which tested light oil from the Jurassic
age Great Oolite reservoir. During 2007 the drilling and
extended production testing of the Avington-3z well
established the commerciality of the field with
production of 63,000 barrels of oil during the six months test.
During 2008 the operator, Star Energy, obtained the required
planning and other consents to improve the surface facilities
and restart production from the Avington-3z and Avington-2z
wells. In addition consent was granted to drill two further
appraisal wells on the accumulation. As previously reported
by the Company, production commenced at Avington on
23 January 2009
at an initial free-flowing rate of around 300 barrels per day.
Commenting
on the proposed transaction,
Mark Abbott, Managing Director of Egdon said;
“The
acquisition of YCIR increases our interest in the Avington oil
field to a more material level of 36.667% and will provide an
important additional source of revenue and enable us to make
further progress towards our near term production targets. We
have worked closely with the management of Heyco over a number
of years and look forward to their involvement as shareholders
in the Company.”
George Yates, President of Heyco Energy Group commented;
“This
transaction allows Heyco to gain exposure to the wide range of
quality projects within Egdon's portfolio while retaining a
financial interest in the Avington Field”
For further information please contact:
Egdon Resources plc
Mark Abbott Managing
Director
01256 702292
Buchanan Communications
Ben Willey, Miranda Higham
020 7466 5000
Nominated Adviser and Broker –
Seymour
Pierce
Richard Redmayne, Jonathan Wright, Sarah
Jacobs 020 7107 8000
Company
Background
Egdon Resources plc is an established UK-based exploration and
production company primarily focused on onshore exploration
and production in the hydrocarbon-producing basins of the UK
and mainland Europe.
Egdon holds interests in twenty-six licences in the UK and
France and has an active programme of exploration, appraisal
and development within its balanced portfolio of oil and gas
assets. Egdon is an approved operator in both the UK and
France.
Egdon currently has production from the Keddington and
Avington oil fields. Further oil and gas production is
anticipated from Kirklington, Kirkleatham, Waddock Cross,
Eakring-Dukes Wood during the next twelve months.
Egdon Resources plc listed on AIM in January 2008, following
the demerger of its gas storage business, Portland Gas plc.
The pre-demerged business was formed in 1997 and listed on AIM
in December 2004.
In accordance with
AIM
rules - guidance for mining, oil and gas companies, the
information contained in this announcement has been reviewed
and signed off by the Managing Director of Egdon Resources plc
Mark Abbott, a Geoscientist with over 22 years experience.