
Press Release
Source: Avalon Oil & Gas, Inc.
Avalon Closes Acquisition of Colombian Properties
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – February 6, 2008 – Avalon
Oil & Gas, Inc. (Avalon) (OTCBB: AOGN / FWB: A3MA.F) is pleased
to announce it has closed its acquisition of a twenty percent (20%)
interest in the Talora Block and a fifteen (15%) interest in the
Mecaya Block, in Colombia, from Gran Tierra Energy, Inc. (OTCBB:
GTRE). Avalon also announced that the first Talora Block operation,
the re-entry and re-evaluation of the Manantiales well, has begun.
Avalon’s CEO, Kent A. Rodriguez, stated “We are extremely
pleased with the addition of these two blocks to our growing portfolio
of oil and gas producing properties. The Talora and Mecaya Blocks
will provide a foundation for many future acquisitions in Colombia.
The reduced field size-based royalties, attractive fiscal terms from
the Colombian Government, and low annual ground rents make the economics
in Colombia quite compelling,” Rodriguez added.
The workover
of the Manantiales-1 well is the first of five prospects to be tested
on the Talora Block. The 108,333 acre block is located in the Middle
Magdalena Basin, approximately 75 km west of the capital city of
Bogota. This prolific area is adjacent to and on trend with several
oil producing fields including the 117 million barrel Guando field,
operated by Petrobras, and the adjacent Mana field, which contains
10 wells which typically flow 500 to 600 BOPD of 30 ° API
oil from high quality sands at approximately 5,500 feet.
The Talora
Block is well served by road and pipeline access, and is near the
city of Neiva, which functions as the oil industry services and supply
base. It is directly south of a number of oil fields which are currently
under development or redevelopment. These include the Puli C, Rio
Opia, Toqui-Toqui, and Ambrosia oil field which produce from Cretaceous
sands at depths of less than 5,000 feet. Interoil of Norway recently
announced that the first four wells in its planned 9 well program
in the region have all been successful and are producing at rates
of 300 to 500 BOPD per well. Pacific Stratus (TSX: PSE) is also active
in this region and is developing the 5 million barrel Puli B field
which produces 32 ° API oil. Avalon’s partners
in the Talora Block development include PEI, an independent Colombian
operator of several exploration and development projects, and PetroSouth
Energy (OTCBB: PSEG).
“We are very excited about the potential reserves in the Talora
Block. They are a strong complement to the existing production that
will be realized in the short term from Avalon’s investment
in the Mecaya Block”, commented Avalon Director Menno Wiebe. “In
this transaction, Avalon is successfully executing our mandate to
identify robust oil production assets in Colombia and evolve our
growing property portfolio.”
Mecaya Block
Avalon also acquired a 15% interest in the 74,000 acre
Mecaya Block in the Putumayo basin from Gran Tierra Energy, Inc.
This Block contains the Mecaya 1 oil discovery and two other wells
which have tested oil. The Mecaya 1 was drilled by the Colombian
National Oil Company, Ecopetrol, in 1989. The Mecaya 1 well tested
approximately 650 BOPD of 27 ° API oil, with no water at a stable
flow rate over a period of 24 hours. At the time of drilling, the
Mecaya well was a considerable distance from infrastructure. With
oil prices much lower than they are today, the development was considered
too small (at 5 MMBO) to meet Ecopetrol’s economic threshold
in 1989. Today’s
market conditions favor this development, with oil produced in this
area having a netback of approximately $70.00 per barrel. Current
development plans include: building an access road, re-entering the
Mecaya well and putting it on production. If the initial production
demonstrates that the reserves are approximately 5 million barrels
of recoverable oil as mapped by Ecopetrol, the field will be developed
with additional wells.
Stephen Newton, Avalon Director, added “Avalon’s performance
has proven its business model of investing in producing properties
with stable cash flows provides a consistent return on investment.
With the company’s expansion into these promising Colombian
properties, Avalon is poised to deliver significantly increased returns.”
About
Avalon Oil & Gas, Inc.
Avalon Oil & Gas, Inc. is an oil and gas investment company engaged
in the acquisition of oil and gas producing properties. In addition,
Avalon's technology group acquires and develops oil production enhancing
technologies. Through Oiltek, Inc., Avalon’s majority-owned
subsidiary, Avalon is building an asset portfolio of innovative
technologies in the oil and gas industry to maximize enhancement
opportunities at its various oil and gas properties.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements, which may constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933
and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Those statements include
statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of
Avalon Oil & Gas, Inc., and members of its management as well
as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective
investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements
are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and
uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from
those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements
to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated
events or changes to future operating results.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, please visit the company’s website
at www.avalonoilinc.com, or contact:
Avalon Oil & Gas, Inc.,
Minneapolis
Kent Rodriguez, CEO
Tel: 952-746-9655
Fax 952-746-5216
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