Operations Update

18 Sep 2007 07:00

Sound Oil PLC18 September 2007 Sound Oil plc18 September 2007 Pasundan-1 Operations Update - Testing The Pasundan-1 well reached a total depth of 10412 feet on 29 August 2007.Following wireline logging and other bottom-hole operations the drilling phaseof the well was completed on 7 September, 122 days since spud. Followinganalysis of all wireline logs and subsurface samples the Citarum PSC partnership("the Partnership") has made the decision to evaluate the hydrocarbon potentialof Pasundan-1 with three drill stem tests. The well has been plugged back to 8382 ft for testing of the Baturaja Formationcarbonates through the previously set 7-inch liner. Testing will be carried out with the existing Great Wall Rig 93 over two zonesin the lower part of the formation (8300-8380 ft and 8020-8070 ft). Operationsfor these first two tests are expected to take 18 days. It is the current intention of the Partnership that testing of the highercavernous zone (6770-6900 ft) will be carried out at a later date with anotherrig. This pause in operations will allow time to resolve several technicalissues associated with testing this zone. Because of the large amount of lossesof drilling fluid and lost circulation material to this zone any hydrocarbonspresent may have been flushed away from the borehole during the drillingoperations. A testing and environmental programme must be designed to recoverthese large volumes of losses and ensure their safe surface handling.Additionally during this time the subsurface conditions will be allowed toequilibrate and allow any hydrocarbons to flow back naturally towards theborehole and reduce the amount of fluid to be recovered for their sampling. Sound Oil plc is a 20% shareholder (through its wholly owned subsidiary MitraEnergia Citarum Limited) in the BPREC operating company that is drilling thePasundan-1 exploration well, located approximately 50 km southeast of Jakarta,Indonesia. Dr Michael Cope BSc PhD CGeol, Head of Exploration at Sound Oil, a qualifiedpetroleum geologist, has reviewed the technical information contained in thisnews release. Contacts Gerry Orbell, Chairman - Sound Oil plcTel: +44 (0)7903 861145 Azhic Basirov/David Jones - Smith & Williamson Corporate Finance LimitedTel: +44 (0)207 131 4000 Tim Thompson/Nick Melson - Buchanan CommunicationsTel: +44 (0)207 466 5000 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange