JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS--(Marketwire - May 14, 2012) -
14th May, 2012 LONGREACH OIL AND GAS LIMITED Appointment of Vice President Exploration, Director & Senior Advisor to the Board Longreach Oil and Gas Limited ("Longreach" or "the Company"), an independent oil and gas company holding substantial exploration and development licences in Morocco, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ronald Lansdell as Vice President Exploration and as a member of the Board of Directors of Longreach (the "Board"), with immediate effect. Ronald Lansdell joins the Company having held a number of senior technical and commercial roles during a 15 year career at Eni/Agip. These roles included being posted to Nigeria, Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom. Mr Lansdell began his career in 1972 in seismic data acquisition and processing initially at Digicon and then CGG in London, before joining BHP Petroleum as Exploration Coordinator Western Australia. He spent 9 years with Elf (in Norway, France and Syria) and then joined QGPC as Chief Geophysicist in Qatar before joining Eni/ Agip. He has a degree in Geology from the University of London. Longreach is also pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Mehdi Ali as an Advisor to the Board. Dr Ali has extensive experience in the Middle East region, having been a senior advisor to the Governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE on investment and energy. During his career Dr Ali was a Senior Economist at the World Bank, Regional Representative for the UN for North Africa and the Middle East and was a Director at the OPEC Fund. Dr Ali holds a Master degree from the London School of Economics and a Doctorate from the University of Cambridge. Commenting, Bryan Benitz, Chairman and CEO of Longreach, said:"Operationally, it will become an increasingly busy time for Longreach over the next two years and so the appointment of a senior exploration specialist to the Board is a natural progression. This follows completion of the Sidi Moktar farm-in last year, under which Longreach is required to carry new seismic acquisition and the drilling of two exploration wells; in addition to extensive work programmes planned for other licences. Having such an experienced and well respected person, such as Ron, joining our Board will only serve to help move the assets forward and the Company towards first production"."I am also delighted that Mehdi has agreed to come on board as an advisor. He is a highly respected person in the region and I am sure his extensive experience will prove invaluable to the development of the Company.""I believe that Longreach's assets have enormous and exciting potential and it is pleasing that such experienced professionals as Ron and Mehdi have recognised this." -ENDS- For Further Information: Longreach Bryan Benitz Chairman & CEO +44 20 3137 7756 Pelham Bell Pottinger Mark Antelme / Philip Dennis / Rollo Crichton-Stuart +44 207 861 3232 Additional information on Longreach Oil and Gas Limited can be found at www.longreachoilandgas.com or through Longreach's investor relations agent Additional information on Longreach Oil and Gas Limited can also be found at www.sedar.com About Longreach: Longreach holds varying interests in five exploration licences in southern onshore and offshore Morocco, totalling approximately 13 million acres of exploration acreage. In the Essaouira basin in Central Morocco, Longreach operates and holds a 50% working interest in three exploration blocks collectively known as Sidi Moktar. According to information available from the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), historical production of 30.5 Bcf was achieved on the Sidi Moktar exploration licences. The onshore Sidi Moktar licence surrounds the existing producing Meskala field (which is not a part of the Sidi Moktar licence), with gas pipeline infrastructure in place that runs through the permit area. Tie in to this pipeline is believed by management to be achievable, with gas expected to be piped to the town of Youssoufia, where major phosphate plants exist with unmet natural gas demand. The Company holds a 22.5% net interest in the Tarfaya onshore licence. Multiple prospective structures have been identified based on current 2D seismic and the Company's joint venture partners completed a new 608 km 2D seismic programme in September 2011, which has shown a considerable improvement in data quality that will allow further assessment of the licence. The Company holds a 7.5% net interest in each of the offshore Sidi Moussa and Foum Draa licences. Multiple prospects/leads have been identified on each licence and a farm out is currently underway. The Company holds a 22.5% net interest in Zag basin onshore licence. In January 2012 a new 1,674km 2D seismic programme was completed. Processing of this data is now underway. Special Note Regarding Analogous Information Although the Company believes that production on the Meskala field, which is adjacent to the Sidi Moktar licences, may indicate that production is possible on the Kechoula field, no assurance can be given by the Company that commercial production on any of the Sidi Moktar exploration licences will be achieved, or as to the levels of production that may be possible on any of the Sidi Moktar exploration licences if production is achieved. Special Note Regarding Forwarding Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "may", "will","should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate","predict", "project", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could","might", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar terms. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to the completion of evaluations and processing and interpretation of data, the performance characteristics of the Company's oil and gas properties, capital expenditure programs, supply and demand for oil, gas and commodities, prices for oil and gas, drilling plans, and realization of the anticipated benefits of acquisitions. Forward-looking statements are only predictions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Some of the risks and other factors which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, the Kingdom of Morocco and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of oil and gas, governmental regulation of the oil and gas industry, including environmental regulation; fluctuation in foreign exchange or interest rates; risks inherent in oil and gas operations; political risk, including political risk; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; unanticipated operating events which could cause commencement of drilling and production to be delayed; the need to obtain consents and approvals from industry partners, regulatory authorities and other third-parties; stock market volatility and market valuations; competition for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped land and skilled personnel; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions or resource estimates; any future inability to obtain additional funding, when required, on acceptable terms or at all; credit risk; changes in legislation; any unanticipated disputes or deficiencies related to title matters; dependence on management and key personnel; and risks associated with operating in and being part of a joint venture. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon assumptions which management of the Company believes to be reasonable, the Company cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with its expectations and assumptions. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END
Contact Information:
Contacts:
RNS
Customer
Services
0044-207797-4400
http://www.rns.com