Commissioning Phase of Oil Export Operations

RNS Number : 3677I

Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd.

14 June 2011

 



Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction.

14 June 2011

Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. (AIM: GKP)

("Gulf Keystone" or "the Company")

Kurdistan Operational Update

Commissioning Phase of Oil Export Operations

Further to the announcement of 23 May 2011, Gulf Keystone is pleased to announce that currently the Company is in the commissioning phase of oil export operations from its Extended Well Test (EWT) facility close to Shaikan-1 and Shaikan-3.

The commissioning phase, involving final preparations and customary checks and tests on all elements of the process, including loading and transportation logistics, as well as metering and receiving facilities, is underway in order to enable the Company to steadily ramp up export volumes to 5,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) with an eight month target of over 10,000 bopd. To date just over 3,700 barrels of oil have been delivered to the storage tank facilities at the export pipeline injection point.  

Prior to commencing the commissioning phase the storage tank at the EWT facility was emptied of approximately 21,000 barrels of oil, which have been sold into the domestic market in order to allow preparations for oil export to commence.   

All volumes of oil are in addition to those previously reported in the Annual Results on 11 April 2011.

The Company will provide a further update on oil export operations once the commissioning phase is complete and stabilised export volumes have been injected into the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline.

John Gerstenlauer, Gulf Keystone's Chief Operating Officer commented:

"Gulf Keystone is making good progress toward commencing oil exports from our Shaikan facilities at the initial intended rate of 5,000 bopd following the current commissioning phase. We look forward to delivering stabilized export volumes of Shaikan crude for shipment via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline."

Enquiries:

Gulf Keystone Petroleum:	[phone]
Todd Kozel, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ewen Ainsworth, Finance Director
Strand Hanson Limited	[phone]
Simon Raggett / Rory Murphy / James Harris
Mirabaud Securities LLP	[phone]
Peter Krens
Pelham Bell Pottinger	[phone]
Mark Antelme

or visit: www.gulfkeystone.com

John Gerstenlauer, the Company's Chief Operating Officer, who has 31 years of relevant experience within the sector and meets the criteria of a qualified person under the AIM note for mining, oil and gas companies, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this announcement.  Mr. Gerstenlauer is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Notes to Editors:

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. (AIM: GKP) is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum International (GKPI) holds Production Sharing Contracts for fourexploration blocks in Kurdistan.

§ The Company's shares have traded on the AIM market since listing on 8th September 2004.

§ Gulf Keystone Petroleum Limited is registered in Hamilton, Bermuda with further offices in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Algiers, Algeria and London, UK.

Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. This document (and the information contained herein) does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale, or solicitation of an offer to purchase securities, in the United States or jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and Bermuda where to do so would constitute a contravention of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless the securities are registered under the Securities Act, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available. No public offering of the securities will be made in the United States.

 

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