4 February 2009
AIM: XTR
XTRACT ENERGY PLC
("Xtract" or the "Company")
PROJECT UPDATE - MEO Australia Limited
Xtract refers shareholders to the following announcement released in
Australia by MEO Australia Limited ("MEO").
"ASX AND MEDIA RELEASE
WA-359 -P and WA-360-P work program variations approved
Key Points:
* WA-359-P exploration well transferred into permit year 6
commencing 1st Feb 2010
* WA-360-P permit year 4 suspended and extended to 31st Jan 2010
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (February 4th, 2009) - MEO Australia Limited
(ASX: MEO) is pleased to advise that the Designated Authority has
approved MEO's application for a variation in the secondary work
programs in relation to the WA-359-P and WA-360-P exploration permits
in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia.
WA-359-P revised work program
The work program has been varied such that the exploration well has
been transferred from permit year 5 into permit year 6 spanning 1st
February 2010 - 31st January 2011.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Year of | Permit Term | Permit Term | Minimum Work |
| Permit Term | Start | Ends | Requirements |
|-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------------------|
| 5 | 1/2/2009 | 31/1/2010 | Geotechnical studies |
|-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------------------|
| 6 | 1/2/2010 | 31/1/2011 | One (1) exploration |
| | | | well |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
WA-360-P revised work program
Permit year 4 has been suspended at 31st January 2009 and extended by
12 months to 31st January 2010 to allow time to acquired, process and
interpret additional 3D seismic to further define the Artemis
prospect - refer attachment.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Year of | Permit Term | Permit Term | Minimum Work |
| Permit Term | Start | Ends | Requirements |
|-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------------------|
| 4 | 1/2/2008 | 31/12/2010 | Seismic interpretation |
|-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------------------|
| 5 | 1/2/2010 | 31/1/2011 | Geotechnical studies |
|-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------------------|
| 6 | 1/2/2011 | 31/1/2012 | One (1) exploration |
| | | | well |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Participants
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Company | WA-359-P* | WA-360-P* |
|-------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------|
| North West Shelf Exploration Pty Ltd | 60% - 70% | 60% - 70% |
| (Wholly owned subsidiary of MEO | | |
| Australia Limited) | | |
|-------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------|
| Cue Energy Resources Limited (ASX: CUE) | 20% - 15% | 20% - 15% |
|-------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------|
| Gascorp Australia Pty Ltd | 0% | 20% - 15% |
|-------------------------------------------+-----------+-----------|
| Exoil Limited (NSX: EXX) | 20% - 15% | 0% |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
*Subject to drill/drop decision by 31-December-2009 & election by Cue
+/- Gascorp/Exoil to elect to pay 5% of well.
Jurgen Hendrich
Managing Director & CEO"
A copy of the MEO announcement referred to above with a map attached,
is available on the Australian Stock Exchange website: www.asx.com.au
Further information on MEO can be found at www.meoaustralia.com.au.
As an unquoted company, MEO is not subject to the AIM Rules and the
information contained in this announcement has not been reviewed by a
named "qualified person" as defined and required by the AIM Guidance
Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.
Enquiries please contact:
Xtract Energy Andy Morrison, CEO +44 (0)20 7079 1798
Smith & Williamson David Jones +44 (0)20 7131 4000
Corporate Finance Azhic Basirov
Scott Harris Ian Middleton +44 (0)20 7653 0030
James O'Shaughnessy
About Xtract Energy
Xtract identifies and invests in a diversified portfolio of early
stage energy sector technologies and businesses with significant
growth potential. The Company aims to work closely with the
associated management teams to achieve critical project milestones,
to finance later development stages, and to build and crystallise
value for all shareholders and partners.
For further Information on Xtract please visit www.xtractenergy.co.uk
A short description of the principal assets of Xtract is set out
below. These assets are either held directly or through wholly owned
subsidiaries of the Company.
MEO Australia Ltd ("MEO")
MEO (ASX: MEO) aims to become an integrated Australian Gas-to-Liquids
("GTL") company. In 2008, MEO made significant gas discoveries in the
Australian Timor Sea, in an area of shallow water known as Tassie
Shoal. Early commercialisation of these discoveries is planned
through construction of Liquified Natural Gas ("LNG") and Methanol
plants and export terminals on the off-shore Tassie Shoal. MEO has
already secured Australian Government environmental approvals for two
large scale (1.8 Mtpa) methanol plants and a 3 Mtpa LNG plant on
Tassie Shoal. Xtract owns approximately 13.6% of MEO's issued share
capital. For the year ended 30 June 2008, MEO made a loss of
approximately A$1.9 million and as at that date it's net asset value
was approximately A$153.9 million.
Elko Energy Inc. ("Elko")
Elko is a Canadian registered oil & gas exploration company which has
interests in exploration and production licences in the Danish and
Dutch North Sea. Its major asset is in the Danish North Sea; an 80%
interest on 26 offshore blocks in a 5,400 sq km exploration and
production licence close to the prolific Central Graben oil field.
Technical work indicates the potential for significant reserves. Elko
also holds a 33% operating interest in gas-bearing license blocks P1
and P2 in the Dutch North Sea. Xtract owns approximately 35.4% of
Elko's issued share capital.
Extrem Energy AS ("Extrem Energy")
Extrem Energy is an exploration and production joint venture with
Merty Energy of Turkey. The JV's aim is to create a new medium-sized
oil and gas exploration and production business, initially focused on
Turkey where Merty Energy has particular experience and expertise.
Extrem Energy has a portfolio of licence interests including the high
potential prospect at Candarli Bay in south-west Turkey. Xtract owns
20% of the issued share capital of Extrem Energy and has the option
of increasing its shareholding to 34% before 30 June 2009.
Xtract Oil Ltd ("XOL")
Xtract's wholly owned subsidiary, XOL, is focused on the development
of the Company's oil shale resources in Australia and the technology
for oil extraction from oil shale resources. Xtract has oil shale
exploration rights over mining tenements in the Julia Creek area of
Queensland. In addition to evaluating third party technologies, XOL
has been developing proprietary technology for the commercial
extraction of liquid hydrocarbon products from oil shale.
Xtract Energy (Oil Shale) Morocco SA ("XOSM")
XOSM is a joint venture with Alraed Limited Investment Holding
Company WLL, a company controlled by His Highness, Prince Bandar Bin
Mohd. Bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. XOSM has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Office National des
Hydrocarbures et des Mines for the purposes of evaluation and
possible development of an oil shale deposit near Tarfaya, in the
south west part of Morocco. Xtract currently holds 70% of the joint
venture.
Wasabi Energy Ltd ("Wasabi")
Wasabi (ASX: WAS) is a diversified investor in traditional and
renewable energy technologies. Amongst its listed assets it holds
approximately 38% of Rum Jungle Uranium Ltd (ASX: RUM) which has
interests in uranium exploration licenses covering some 4,150 sq km
of Australia's Northern Territory and approximately 12.5% of
Greenearth Energy Ltd (ASX:GER) which aims to explore and develop
geothermal resources in Australia and the wider Pacific Rim. Xtract
owns approximately 19.4% of the issued share capital of Wasabi.
Zhibek Resources Ltd ("Zhibek Resources")
Zhibek Resources is an oil and gas exploration and production company
which has a 72% interest in the Tash Kumyr and Pishkoran exploration
licences in the Kyrgyz Republic. Xtract has entered a farm-out
agreement to fund a seismic and drilling programme for 2008-09.
Xtract owns 25.0% of the issued share capital of Zhibek Resources.
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This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is
solely responsible for the content of this announcement.