Pacific Rubiales Announces Drilling Results at Rubiales Oil Field
Sep 9, 2008
TORONTO, Sept. 9 /CNW/ - Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (TSX: PEG) announced today the results of three new wells that have been drilled and completed as part of the appraisal and exploration plan of the Rubiales/Piriri Field in the Llanos Basin in Colombia. The three wells, identified as RUB-52, RUB-117 and RUB-119, were drilled in the southwestern area of the Rubiales block between August and September 2008, and have added not only fresh production, but also important petrophysical information that is expected to allow the company to better evaluate the resources at the Rubiales/Piriri Field, as well as to extend the known reservoir and recoverable reserves of the field. The wells found significantly larger net-pay sand than was originally expected, based on existing mapping of the reservoir. In particular, well RUB-52 identified a net-pay of 54 feet (compared to an expected 10 feet), RUB-117 a net-pay of 53 feet and RUB-119 a net-pay of 56 feet (compared to the expected 28 and 40 feet, respectively). The company has factored the results of these wells with the existing information at the field, allowing it to prepare a new and more prospective map of the reservoir. As a result, management expects that once this data is processed, the STOIIP of the field will be increased, with an expected positive impact on recoverable reserves. At the same time, the wider and better net-pay extensions will allow the company to develop two additional clusters comprising 10 horizontal wells and two vertical wells in the area. Additionally, well RUB-52 was drilled in the Rubiales block's buffer zone, very close to the company's Quifa block, thereby underlining the potential of the latter. Ronald Pantin, the company's Chief Executive Officer, stated "This is further evidence of our confidence in the Rubiales field and our ability to leverage technology and know-how to increase the value we can add to it." Pacific Rubiales, a Canadian-based company and producer of natural gas and heavy crude oil, owns 100 percent of Meta Petroleum Limited, a Colombian oil operator which operates the Rubiales and Piriri oil fields in the Llanos Basin in association with Ecopetrol S.A., the Colombian national oil company. The company is focused on identifying opportunities primarily within the eastern Llanos Basin of Colombia as well as in other areas in Colombia and northern Peru. Pacific Rubiales has a current net production of approximately 22,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with working interests in the Rubiales, Piriri and Quifa concessions and the Caguan, Dindal, Rio Seco, Puli B, La Creciente, Moriche, Guama, Arauca, Tacacho and Jagueyes blocks in Colombia and blocks 135, 137 and 138 in Peru. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of 6 mcf:1 bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. %SEDAR: 00007953E
For further information:
For further information: Mr. Ronald Pantin, Chief Executive Officer and Director; Mr. Jose Francisco Arata, President and Director; Mr. Manfred Kruger, Vice President, Investor Relations, (416) 362 7735