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Arena
Resources Announces Letter of Intent for Yates Gas Production
Tulsa, Oklahoma June 20, 2007
Arena Resources, Inc. (AMEX: ARD) ("Arena" or the "Company") announced today it has signed a letter of intent to produce and sell gas from its Fuhrman Mascho (“Fuhrman Mascho”) properties in Andrews County, Texas, to Aspen Pipeline (“Aspen”) of Houston, Texas. The gas, produced from the Yates formation at an approximate depth of 3,000 feet, has a high nitrogen content and is often considered too costly to produce because of the need to remove the nitrogen before transporting. Aspen announced in February, 2007 a Memorandum of Understanding with Texas Independent Energy (“TIE”) that could lead to the construction of a dedicated pipeline to TIE’s 1,000-megawatt energy generation facility just outside Odessa, Texas, which can consume a blend containing Yates formation gas without removing the excess nitrogen.
Arena’s Fuhrman Mascho properties comprise approximately 17,000 acres. The Company initiated a development program at the Fuhrman Mascho in April 2005 and has currently drilled 177 wells to a deeper, oil bearing formation at approximately 4,800 feet. Arena has the drilling rights to the Yates gas formation on 14,000 acres and has agreed to dedicate the Yates gas reserves to the project for the life of the reserves. Based on 40 acre spacing, the Company estimates there are 350 potential locations including approximately 100 idle or temporarily abandoned well bores which were drilled prior to Arena’s acquisition of the properties. These wells were drilled to the deeper, oil bearing formation and are excellent candidates to be re-completed at the shallower Yates formation. The agreement requires Arena to drill or recomplete 60 – 90 wells per year for a four year period and to strive on a best efforts basis to attain a volumetric goal of 31,000 – 37,000 mcf per day or more. It is estimated that construction of the pipeline will reach the properties by the 2nd quarter, 2008.
Mr. Tim Rochford, CEO stated, “Since acquiring our initial Fuhrman Mascho properties in December 2004, we have explored various options for development of the Yates gas formation. We believe that this agreement with Aspen Pipeline provides Arena with the best opportunity to fully develop and market the Yates gas production by providing a delivery system and an established purchaser. We plan to begin our drilling / recompletion program in the third quarter with an estimated capital expenditure budget of $45 million over the next four years.”
About
Arena Resources, Inc.
Arena Resources, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration,
development and production company with current operations
in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
This
release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the "safe-harbor" provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that
involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties,
including, without limitations, statements with respect
to the Company's strategy and prospects. Readers and
investors are cautioned that the Company's actual
results may differ materially from those described
in the forward-looking statements due to a number
of factors, including, but not limited to, the Company's
ability to acquire productive oil and/or gas properties
or to successfully drill and complete oil and/or gas
wells on such properties, general economic conditions
both domestically and abroad, and the conduct of business
by the Company, and other factors that may be more
fully described in additional documents set forth
by the Company.
For further information contact:
Bill Parsons
Vice President Investor Relations
480-947-1589
bparsons@arenaresourcesinc.com
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