Providence Resources Explained

Providence Resources
Traded As:
Location City:Airfield Park, Donnybrook, Dublin
Location Country:Ireland
Key People:Alan Lynn (CEO)[1]
Homepage: www.providenceresources.com

Providence Resources is an Irish oil and gas exploration company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Irish Stock Exchange. Its primary activities are the exploration and development of hydrocarbons offshore Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The predecessor to Providence, Atlantic Resources, was formed in 1981 by a group led by Tony O'Reilly.[2] Tony O'Reilly, Junior was CEO of Providence from 2005 to 2019.[3]

Projects

Providence drilled Ireland's first commercially-viable oil well at the Barryroe field in 2012.[4] The exploratory well far exceeded expectations with an initial flow rate of 3,500 bpd.[4] Barryroe is situated approximately 50 km south of the Cork coast at a 100m water depth and an independent audit in April 2013 estimated that Barryroe holds in excess of 1.6 billion barrels of oil, of which 346 million barrels equivalent is recoverable.[5], company is still appraising the field and is seeking farmout partners to begin development.[6]

In 2015, Providence planned to drill an appraisal well at Spanish Point of the west Irish coast along with partners Cairn Energy (38%), Chrysaor (26%) and Sosina (4%).[7] Drilling was delayed[8] to 2017[9] and then to an indefinite time later,[10] subject to the licence being extended to allow this.

In 2016 Providence announced a plan to drill at the Druid and Drombeg prospects south-west of Ireland,[11] and in contracting a drilling operation to begin in June 2017.[12] The 2017 Druid well contained only water.[13]

Providence is a partner (26.8% stake) in the Dunquin oil field in the Porcupine Basin, along with operator Eni, Repsol, and Sosina.[14] ExxonMobil was previously a major partner and operator but exited the project after drilling an unsuccessful well at Dunquin North in 2013.[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: Providence Resources names Linn as its new CEO . RTE . 2020-01-09 . 2020-03-29.
  2. Web site: History . Providence Resources . https://web.archive.org/web/20200510164524/http://www.providenceresources.com/history . 2020-05-10 . 2020-05-10.
  3. News: Percival . Geoff . Providence shares see bounce on Tony O’Reilly exit . Irish Examiner . 2019-12-07 . 2020-05-10.
  4. News: Ireland's first oil well to yield 4,000 barrels per day . BBC News . 2012-03-15 . 2020-03-29.
  5. Web site: Ireland Operations . Providence Resources . 2014-08-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140223092402/http://www.providenceresources.com/sel%201-11.aspx . 2014-02-23 .
  6. News: Providence Resources says has 'sufficient funds' until April . RTE . 2020-02-13 . 2020-03-29.
  7. News: Deegan . Gordon . Cairn Energy drill programme in Clare a step closer . Irish Examiner . 2014-02-07 . 2020-03-29.
  8. Web site: Cairn Delays Spanish Point Appraisal. 8 December 2016. 10 March 2015.
  9. Web site: Spanish Point drilling offshore Ireland pushed back to 2017. 8 December 2016. 27 October 2015.
  10. Web site: Frontier Exploration Licence 2/04. Providence Resources. 8 December 2016.
  11. Web site: DRUID and DROMBEG Oil Prospects (80%, Operator). Providence Resources. 9 December 2016.
  12. News: Providence signs deal to drill Druid exploration well off Irish coast. 9 December 2016. The Irish Times. 24 November 2016.
  13. Web site: Providence Resources: Shares fall as Druid well consists of water . Irish Independent . 26 August 2019.
  14. News: Whiterow . Philip . Dunquin South exploration to move forward after budget approved, says Providence Resources . Proactive Investors . 2018-11-13 . 2020-03-29.
  15. News: Flanagan . Peter . Exploration blow as Exxon to leave Irish waters after offshore drill fails . Irish Independent . 2013-07-23 . 2020-03-29.