aurora
Business Writer
AUSTRALIA Stock Exchange listed resources junior, Invictus Energy, says it is on track to commence its planned two-well oil and gas exploration drilling programme in Muzarabani in May next year.
The muzarabani prospect is believed to host 8,2 trillion cubic feet plus 247 million conventional gas condensate while the the total assessed reserves of Invictus’ special grant 4571 stand at 9,25TCf and 294 million barrels of condensate.
Discovery of oil/gas would mean significant benefits for Zimbabwe’s economy, including energy self-reliance, production of petro-chemicals, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), fertliser, increased exports and fiscal revenue among others.
“We are planning for a successful drilling campaign, which if transpires will be a transformational event for both Invictus and Zimbabwe,” Invictus Energy managing director Scott MacMillan said.
Already, the company has posted major milestones on the project, including signing petroleum exploration development and production agreement with Government, completion of a seismic survey, signing agreements for a drilling rig and contract.
The company said this week it had secured the necessary casing, wellheads and long lead items for exploration well drilling programme scheduled.
A well casing is a lining that is installed in an oil well once it is drilled and surrounds the well entirely. Typically, the casing is hollow steel pipe that lines the inside of the wellbore.
The casings are used to support the oil or gas wells, as the raw sides of the well would collapse in without the support rendered by these key equipment.
A wellhead is the component at the surface of an oil or gas well that provides the structural and pressure-containing interface for the drilling and production equipment.
Long lead items are those components of a system or piece of equipment for which the times to design and fabricate are the longest, and therefore, to which an early commitment of funds may be desirable in order to meet the earliest possible date of system completion.
The announcement came days after the Australian firm announced plans to raise A$5,5 million (A$) to finance further development of the Muzarabani project through issuance of at least 55 000 new shares.
The company also said it had completed an extensive tendering exercise for the integrated well services contract including cementing, directional drilling, logging. The formal award of the contract is expected shortly.
“We are very pleased with the way the drilling programme is coming together with Invictus securing the wellheads and casing long lead items for a high impact 2-well drilling programme,” said managing director Scott MacMillan.
“We are now finalising the well services contract award and working to execute the binding rig agreement with Exalo for the #202 drilling rig.
“Invictus remains on track for the upcoming drilling campaign to commence in May 2022,” he added.
Invictus has registered significant milestones in the exploration for and development of the Muzarabani oil and gas project, including completion of a seismic (subsurface data gathering) study and conclusion of drilling agreement with a British company.
The company, which expects that its recently concluded 2D seismic data will help refine the location and path of the planned Mzarabani-1 gas exploration that will test the potential of the Cabora Bassa project (Muzarabani), has also secured drilling for the project.
Official data shows that the Muzarabani prospect has been independently assessed to host prospective resources of about 9,25 trillion cubic feet of gas and 294 million barrels of condensate, essentially a light oil.
Invictus last year signed a petroleum exploration development and production agreement (PEDPA) with the Government, which spells out the rights and obligations of each party through the development phase of the project.
In terms of the fundraising, the Australia Stock Exchange (ASX) listed company has received firm commitments from sophisticated and institutional investors to raise A$3,5 million (before costs) by way of placement of new shares and US$2 million through a share purchase plan.
“As announced on December 9, 2021, we are positioning Invictus to undertake a 2-well exploration campaign commencing (first half of 2022) including the drilling of Muzarabani-1 well targeting prospective resources of 8,2 Tcf + 247 million barrels conventional gas condensate.
“We have a busy (first) half of 2022 planned with finalisation of our data processing for our seismic survey, update of our prospect and lead inventory, conclusion of our farm-out process and securing long lead items as we embark on our planned 2-well drilling campaign of our world class asset including the Muzarabani-1 well which will be one of the largest conventional targets drilled globally in 2022,” Mr MacMillan said last week.
Essentially, the funding enables Invictus to finance critical programmes ahead of planned exploration drilling of two oil and gas wells in Muzarabani, which the company has said is scheduled for the first half of next year.
Under the planned placement, Invictus Energy will issue 35 000 000 new fully paid ordinary shares (New Shares) at an issue
price of A$0,10 per new share, a 13 percent discount to the last closing price on December 22, 2021.
Proceeds from the placement will be used to fund the rig mobilisation fee, purchase of long lead items for the planned second-well drilling programme and finalisation of the data processing of its Muzarabani seismic survey. A share placing (placement) is when new equity shares are issued to individual investors, corporate entities, or small groups of investors for capital.
This increases the amount of shares in issue and dilutes existing shareholders.
In concert with the placement, Invictus said it would offer all eligible shareholders a share purchase plan (SPP) to raise up to A$2 million, resulting in a maximum of 20 000 000 shares being issued under the SPP.
All eligible shareholders will have the opportunity to apply for up to A$30 000 worth of New Shares.
A share purchase plan (SPP) is a form of capital raising by a listed company that offers shareholders the opportunity to apply for new additional shares.
Regulations limit the maximum application per shareholder to A$30 000.
Typically, an SPP is conducted at a discounted price to the current listed price of the stock to encourage shareholders to purchase more shares.
“The issue price under the SPP of A$0,10 is equal to that of the new shares issued under the Placement, with SPP participants also receiving attaching options on a 1-for-2 basis, at a strike price of A$0,14, with a 3-year term,” Invictus said.
In the event of over-subscriptions, the company said its directors may also, in their absolute discretion, decide to increase share purchase plan acceptances by a further $1 million.
Proceeds from the SPP were to be allocated to further purchases of long lead items for the planned 2-well drilling campaign and for general working capital.
Bongani Ndlovu