VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — (Marketwire) — 05/19/12 — ShaMaran Petroleum Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SNM)(OMX: SNM) (“ShaMaran” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2012.
Highlights
Financial and Operating Results for the three months ended March 31, 2012
(Unaudited: Expressed in thousands of United States Dollars)
During the three months ended March 31, 2012 the Company continued its exploration campaign in respect of the Taza and Atrush Block petroleum properties in Kurdistan constituting the continuing operations of the Company. These properties currently generate no revenues. The net loss in the quarter was driven by one-time relinquishment fees totaling $25 million which were relating to the relinquishment of the Pulkhana and Arbat Block PSCs paid to the KRG in January 2012.
The cash position of the Company decreased by $43.4 million during first quarter of 2012. The main reasons for the decrease in the cash position was the payment to the KRG of $25 million in relinquishment fees and the outflow of funds to decrease accounts payable and accrued expenses by$15.6 million. In addition the Company spend $2.4 on its continuing exploration activities in Kurdistan. The Company received $10 million in short term financing subsequent to the reporting period on April 2, 2012 and has a number of additional financing possibilities which will be pursued as required. The Company is confident that it will obtain the resources sufficient to satisfy its contractual obligations and commitments under the agreed budgets.
Outlook
The outlook for the year 2012 for the two blocks which the Company holds interests in Kurdistan is as follows:
Atrush Block
The operating company (GEP) had completed half of the planned initial 275 square kilometers for the 3D seismic acquisition program by the end of December 2011 (Phase 1) when operations were suspended because of winter weather. Subsequently planned 3D coverage has been expanded to cover a total of 310 square kilometers. Operations to acquire the balance portion of the 3D Seismic (Phase Two) recommenced during the first quarter 2012 and are on schedule to be completed by the end of second quarter 2012. Preparations for the Atrush-2 are near complete. The rig contract was awarded to DQE International and the well spud is expected before the end of May 2012. Atrush-2 is estimated to take 65 days and has a planned total depth of 1,750m. The well is situated approximately 3.5 km east of the Atrush-1 well and is planned as an appraisal of the Jurassic oil discovery.
The processed Phase One 3D seismic will be used to select a drilling location for Atrush-3. Tendering is also in progress for an Early Well Test facility (EWT) that is planned to be commissioned before the end of the year 2012. GEP also plans to re-enter and recomplete the Atrush-1 well for production so that it can be connected to the EWT along with Atrush-2. The complete processed 3D seismic from both phases will be used to select drilling candidates for the 2013 drilling campaign.
Taza Block
Preparations for drilling the first Taza exploration well continued during the first quarter. The surface location for the well was approved and civil engineering works for site access and well site are under way. Work is on schedule for the planned commencement of drilling operations before the end of June 2012. The Taza-1 well is estimated to take 102 days, has a planned total depth of 3,250m and is targeting proven regionally productive Tertiary reservoirs of the Jeribe, Euphrates & Kirkuk Group.
New Ventures
As part of its normal business the Company continues to evaluate new opportunities in the region.
About ShaMaran
ShaMaran Petroleum Corp. is a Kurdistan focused oil development and exploration vehicle. It has two projects in the region: the Atrush Block and Taza Block (formerly K42) exploration blocks. These projects are nearby and on trend with existing fields and recent discoveries.
Kurdistan lies within the northern extension of the Zagros Folded Belt. The area is highly underexplored and is currently undergoing a significant exploration and development campaign by over 40 mid to large size international oil companies.
ShaMaran Petroleum is a Canadian oil and gas company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the NASDAQ OMX First North Exchange (Stockholm) under the symbol “SNM”.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements about expected or anticipated future events and financial results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as legal and political risk, civil unrest, general economic, market and business conditions, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, competitive and general economic factors and conditions, the uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, the occurrence of unexpected events and management–s capacity to execute and implement its future plans. Actual results may differ materially from those projected by management. Further, any forward-looking information is made only as of a certain date and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management of the Company to predict all of these factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company–s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking information.
On behalf of the Board,
Pradeep Kabra, President and CEO
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 release.
Contacts:
ShaMaran Petroleum Corp.
Keith Hill
Chairman
(604) 806-3583
ShaMaran Petroleum Corp.
Pradeep Kabra
President and CEO
0041 22 560 8605
ShaMaran Petroleum Corp.
Sophia Shane
Corporate Development
(604) 689-7842
(604) 689-4250 (FAX)