Melbana Energy Limited (MAY) is pleased to provide the following update on the significant exploration potential, drilling opportunities and forward drilling program in its 100% owned# onshore Cuba Block 9 Production Sharing Contract (“Block 9 PSC”).
Block 9 Prospectivity Assessment Identifies Multiple High Impact Exploration Drilling Opportunities
The Block 9 PSC is a large (2,380 km2) onshore block located along trend from the multi-billion barrel
Varadero oil field. A prospectivity assessment undertaken by Melbana in 2016 and upgraded in February
2017 confirmed Block 9 as one of the world’s most exciting exploration plays. Melbana has estimated that
Block 9 contains exploration potential for approximately 12.5 billion barrels of Oil-in-Place with a
Prospective (Recoverable) Resource of 637 million barrels (Best Estimate, 100% basis)* of potentially high
quality oil. The prospectivity assessment also identified 19 individual prospects and leads which the
Company has been prioritizing to focus on the highest impact, lowest risk drill opportunities. The most
recent increase in the assessed exploration potential is due to the identification of the U1 lead, a shallow
structure with a Prospective (Recoverable) Resource of 25 million barrels (Best Estimate, 100% basis)* that
could be targeted as a secondary objective as part of drilling the Alameda prospect.
Alameda 1 – High Priority Exploration Drill Opportunity
The highest ranked exploration drilling opportunity is the proposed Alameda-1 well which will test a
combined exploration potential of over 2.5 billion barrels Oil-in-Place and 130 million barrels of recoverable
oil on a 100% unrisked, best estimate basis and over 400 million recoverable barrels aggregate high side
potential. This exploration well has been designed as a mildly deviated well, with a
total measured depth of 4,000m to enable the well to penetrate three independent exploration
objectives; the primary Alameda objective as well as the shallower N and U1 objectives.
The U1 objective is a structure indicated on seismic as being updip of the tested oil recoveries in the Marti-
2 well. While characterised as an exploration well, the chance of success at Alameda-1 benefits from two
old wells, Marti-2 and Marti-5, both of which recovered oil from the objectives targeted in Alameda-1.
Alameda-1 would take approximately 80 days to drill based on historical information.
Zapato and Piedra Prospects – High Priority Exploration Drill Opportunities
Additional preliminary drilling design studies have also been undertaken for exploration wells to test the
Zapato prospect (formerly lead C1) and shallower Piedra prospect (formerly lead P). The Zapato target
has exploration potential of 71 million barrels of recoverable oil on a 100% unrisked, best estimate basis
(Table 3). The Piedra target has exploration potential of 39 million barrels of recoverable oil on a 100%
unrisked, best estimate basis.
The proposed Zapato-1 well location is in the central portion of Block 9 and is designed to test a Lower
Sheet closure in close proximity to the shallower Motembo oil field, which has historically produced a high
quality light oil. The Zapato feature has a crest at approximately 2,000 metres and is a robust structure
with nearly 1,000 metres of vertical relief.
The proposed Piedra-1 well provides an opportunity to test a Lower Sheet target at relatively shallow drill
depths in the western area, closer to the existing infrastructure of the Varadero oil field, the largest oil field
in Cuba.
On Track for potential 2018 Cuba Drilling Program
Melbana’s focus to date has been to undertake the preliminary work needed to progress the assessment of
the potential of Block 9. These works have refined its understanding of the subsurface prospectivity,
thereby allowing preliminary drilling engineering and well design studies to be completed and costed. The
extent and nature of in-country logistical support for an onshore drilling campaign in Cuba has also been
examined along with the time-frames for operational permitting. Melbana has therefore concluded that the
appropriate equipment, experienced personnel and support services necessary to safely and effectively
undertake a drilling program can be expected to be available in Cuba.
As such, Melbana is now focusing on detailed planning for a drilling campaign in Block 9 PSC. Melbana’s
ambition is to accelerate the drilling of two wells in Block 9 PSC during the first half of 2018. Based on our
current potential drill targets, a two well campaign would cost in the range of US$20-30 million however
ongoing subsurface studies may yield further high quality, attractive drilling objectives.
The key focus of the Company during the coming months will be:
- Undertaking a detailed analysis of the current high priority drilling targets;
- Preparation of detailed well design and drilling plans
- Seeking Cuban regulatory approvals required for drilling in 2018;
- Identification of long lead procurement and contracting actions for planned drill program; and
- Detailed contractor evaluation and selection in preparation for field contract commitments.
