OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grizzly Oil Sands ULC ("Grizzly"), a company in which Gulfport Energy Corporation (Nasdaq:GPOR) holds an approximate 25% interest, announced today that it has closed the acquisition of the May River property from Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. for gross cash proceeds of Cdn $225 million.
Concurrent with closing, GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd. ("GLJ") provided Grizzly with an independent assessment of the May River property effective as of March 1, 2012. GLJ identified 1.8 billion barrels of exploitable bitumen in place and has assigned 824 million barrels of contingent resource as a best estimate using steam assisted gravity drainage and Grizzly's ARMS development model. GLJ's development profile of best estimate contingent resource for the May River property shows gross production of 100,000 barrels per day.
Grizzly is currently planning a drilling program and environmental field work to support the regulatory application and development of the first phase of the May River SAGD project.
About Gulfport
Gulfport Energy Corporation is an Oklahoma City-based independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with its principal producing properties located along the Louisiana Gulf Coast and in the Permian Basin in West Texas. Gulfport has also acquired acreage positions in the Niobrara Formation of Western Colorado and the Utica Shale of Eastern Ohio. In addition, Gulfport holds a sizeable acreage position in the Alberta Oil Sands in Canada through its interest in Grizzly Oil Sands ULC and has interests in entities that operate in Southeast Asia, including the Phu Horm gas field in Thailand.
About Grizzly
Grizzly Oil Sands ULC is a private, Calgary-based oil sands exploration and production company focusing primarily on the development of oil sands resources using thermal recovery methods. Grizzly's Advanced, Re-locatable, Modular and Standardized (ARMS) plant design was developed to improve capital efficiency, development schedule and operating metrics for its SAGD projects.
Notes:
(1) Contingent Resources are defined in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook (the "COGE Handbook") as those quantities of petroleum estimated, as of a given date, to be potentially recoverable from known accumulations using established technology or technology under development, but which are not currently considered to be commercially recoverable due to one or more contingencies.
(2) Best Estimate as defined in the COGE Handbook is considered to be the best estimate of the quantity that will actually be recovered from the accumulation. If probabilistic methods are used, this term is a measure of central tendency of the uncertainty distribution (P50).
It should be noted that reserves and Contingent Resources involve different risks associated with achieving commerciality. There is no certainty that it will be commercially viable for Grizzly to produce any portion of the Contingent Resources.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Gulfport or Grizzly expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including such things as future capital expenditures (including the amount and nature thereof), business strategy and measures to implement strategy, competitive strength, goals, expansion and growth of Gulfport's or Grizzly's business and operations, plans, market conditions, references to future success, reference to intentions as to future matters and other such matters are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Gulfport and Grizzly in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform with Gulfport's and Grizzly's expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, general economic, market, credit or business conditions; the opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to and pursued by Gulfport or Grizzly; competitive actions by other oil and gas companies; changes in laws or regulations; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Gulfport or Grizzly. Information concerning these and other factors can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurances that the actual results or developments anticipated by Gulfport and Grizzly will be realized, or even if realized, that they will have the expected consequences to or effects on Gulfport, its business or operations. Gulfport has no intention, and disclaims any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise.