Q2 Production and Operations Update (6087L)

TIDMHAWK

RNS Number : 6087L

Nighthawk Energy plc

03 August 2011

NIGHTHAWK ENERGY PLC

("Nighthawk" or "the Company")

Jolly Ranch Q2 2011 Production and Operations Update

Nighthawk, the US focused oil development and production company (AIM: HAWK and OTCQX: NHEGY), is pleased to provide its quarterly production update, covering the quarter ended 30 June 2011 and an update on the ongoing recompletion and completion activity.

Highlights

-- Q2 production of 3,079 barrels net to Nighthawk (net of tax and royalty) (Q1: 2,062 barrels net to Nighthawk)

-- On-going work programme continues to identify key horizons for future project development

Update on Production

In the Q1 2011 production update we stated that Q2 production was expected to be higher due to increased workover activity and improved operational efficiencies to maintain production from the long-term test wells, namely the Craig 4-4 and Craig 16-32.

The production figures below are presented net of applicable Colorado State Taxes and Royalty payments to the landowners. The figures for the quarter ended 31 March 2011 are presented for comparison.

 
         Q1 2011                 Q2 2011 
------------------------  -------------------- 
             Bbls net to           Bbls net to 
   Month      Nighthawk    Month    Nighthawk 
----------  ------------  ------  ------------ 
  January        624       April       831 
----------  ------------  ------  ------------ 
 February        751        May       1,225 
----------  ------------  ------  ------------ 
   March         687       June       1,023 
----------  ------------  ------  ------------ 
   Total        2,062      Total      3,079 
----------  ------------  ------  ------------

These figures should not be used to calculate a bopd figure as the wells, which are predominantly on test, are intermittently taken offline for routine maintenance, modifications to pumping equipment, weather related conditions, workovers, recompletions or completion in new zones. As the number of wells increases, the effect of individual wells being taken offline will have less impact on the overall production figures.

The production from the Craig 16-32 continues to vary on a day-to-day basis and is currently averaging in excess of 45 bopd (gross) in Q3 to date, with in excess of 70 bopd (gross) on certain days, and is helping to establish a decline curve for the Cherokee A.

Update on Completion Operations

The previously announced completion and recompletion work continues. Work to further optimise costs and ensure reliable production is on-going. Water and electricity lines have been laid to the Jolly 2-1, 16-1 and 10-5 wells.

Jolly Ranch 2-1

The 2-1 well has been added to the current programme and was completed in the Cherokee A in late May 2011. The well was recently placed on pump and early volumes have indicated that the casing is likely to have a leak, which is inhibiting production. This will be remedied before being placed back on pump.

John Craig 7-2

The John Craig 7-2 was re-entered in late May 2011 to inspect the Cherokee A which had been previously fracced. Following analysis the fracture was shown not to have penetrated the Cherokee A and attempts were made to acidise the formation to see if production could be stimulated. Whilst the horizon produced some oil it was not consistent enough to place on pump. However, the Fort Scott, which sits above the Cherokee A, was subsequently tested without any stimulation and produced sufficient oil for the well to be placed on pump to monitor the results.

Given the potential of the Cherokee A in this area; the 7-2 well sits approximately three miles to the North West of the Wiepking Fullerton Aloha Mula #1 which has produced over 220,000 barrels from a vertical Cherokee A well in the past two years, further drilling will be actively considered in this area.

Craig 15-34

In late June 2011, the 15-34 was tested in the Cherokee A and had oil shows during swabbing. The well was placed on pump in early July 2011.

Craig 7-34

The 7-34 well is currently being acidised in the Cherokee A.

Further activities intended to enhance production from the following wells are now planned and being undertaken. The ultimate objective of this recompletion programme is to establish the optimal method of completion and the objective horizons in which they are applied in order that future drilling is optimally undertaken.

 
 Well               Completion Activity 
 Jolly Ranch 4-13   Atoka - multiple recompletions 
 Craig 12-33        Lower Atoka - acidise existing perforations 
                     Cherokee A - new perforation and acidisation 
 Craig 10-28        Upper Atoka - multiple new perforations and 
                     acidisations 
                     Fort Scott - multiple new perforations and 
                     acidisations

Tim Heeley B.Eng (Hons) a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Fellow of the Geological Society of London and a Chartered Energy Engineer, who is CEO of Nighthawk and has over 16 years of experience in the hydrocarbons industry, has approved the technical information contained in this announcement.

Enquiries:

 
 Nighthawk Energy plc                                            020 3405 1982 
  Tim Heeley, Chief Executive                                  +1 720 344 5154 
  Richard Swindells, Chief Financial 
  Officer 
  Mike Thomsen, Executive Chairman 
 Westhouse Securities Limited                                    020 7601 6100 
  Tim Feather                              tim.feather@westhousesecurities.com 
  Matthew Johnson                      matthew.johnson@westhousesecurities.com 
 Financial Dynamics                                              020 7831 3113 
  Ben Brewerton                                           ben.brewerton@fd.com 
  Ed Westropp                                           edward.westropp@fd.com

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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