Vaalco restores production from Gabon well

Houston-based Vaalco Energy has completed the workover operations on the Avouma 2H well located offshore Gabon and replaced the electrical submersible pump (ESP) system. 

To remind, the ESP on the Avouma 2H well failed in November 2017 and the well was temporarily shut-in. Vaalco also experienced an ESP failure in a different well on the same platform, South Tchibala 1-HB, on December 24, 2017, resulting in that well also being temporarily shut-in.

Vaalco started workover operations to restore production on the Avouma 2H and South Tchibala 1-HB wells in May.

Workover operations on the S. Tchibala 1HB well were completed in early June after which the well started producing at approximately 990 barrels of oil gross, or 270 barrels of oil net to the company.

According to Vaalco’s statement on Tuesday, the Avouma 2H well is online producing at rates in excess of pre-shutdown levels and is expected to stabilize around 2,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) gross, or 540 BOPD net to the company.

In addition, a third workover has started to proactively upgrade the ESP system in the South Tchibala 2H well while the company has the hydraulic workover unit on the platform. With the proactive replacement of the system, the company is mitigating the potential for a premature ESP failure by installing a system with design enhancements that are expected to extend the run life of the ESP. The company will also realize cost savings by conducting the South Tchibala 2H workover while the hydraulic workover unit is already on the platform.

Vaalco also announced that it has executed a hedge swap at a Dated Brent weighted average of $74 per barrel for the period from and including June 2018 through June 2019 for a quantity of approximately 400,000 barrels.

Cary Bounds, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased to have restored significant production from the Avouma 2H well. We are realizing significant cash flow generation at current Brent pricing, and have decided to lock in cash generation at $74 per barrel on approximately 400,000 barrels over the next 13 months in anticipation of a possible development drilling campaign on our offshore Gabon asset in 2019. With the recent elimination of all of our outstanding debt, we will continue to strengthen our balance sheet through cash flow generation and look to future economic development drilling opportunities.”

Earlier this month, after a couple of NYSE delisting warnings, Vaalco regained full compliance with all of the NYSE’s continued listing standards.