Hawk announces year end reserves and provides operations update

CALGARY, March 25, 2014 /CNW/ - Hawk Exploration Ltd. ("Hawk" or the "Corporation") is pleased to provide an operations update and a summary of its December 31, 2013 reserve information as evaluated by GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd. ("GLJ").

HIGHLIGHTS

• Increased total proved plus probable oil reserves by 5% from 1,725 thousand barrels of oil equivalent ("MBoe") to 1,814 MBoe while total proved reserves increased slightly from 1,137 MBoe in 2012 to 1,145 MBoe in 2013;
• Added total proved reserves in 2013 at a finding and development cost of $34.73 per Boe, including future development costs, and added total proved plus probable reserves at a finding and development cost of $24.78 per Boe, including future development costs;
• Achieved a recycle ratio on a proved basis of 1.0 times and on a proved plus probable recycle ratio of 1.3 times based on estimated 2013 operating netback of $32.94 per Boe; and
• Replaced 2013 production on a proved basis by 103% and on a proved plus probable basis by 138%;

OPERATIONS

During the first quarter of 2014, Hawk drilled three (3.0 net) wells targeting heavy oil in the Neilburg area of western Saskatchewan and the Lloydminster area of Alberta and one (1.0) vertical well targeting light oil in the Redwater area of eastern Alberta. The three (3.0 - net) heavy oil wells have all been completed and are currently on production at a combined rate of 105 bbl/d of crude oil. The Redwater well was completed but did not produce economic quantities of oil. Hawk's current production is approximately 775 boe/d and expects first quarter 2014 production to average approximately 715 boe/d.

HEDGING UPDATE

Hawk has established a commodity risk management program to provide downside cash flow protection and to protect planned capital budgets. For the remainder of 2014, the Corporation has approximately 266 bbl/d of crude oil hedged at an average price of CDN$99.25 per bbl and has also hedged the differential on Western Canadian select heavy oil at CDN$21.80 per bbl on 100 bbl/d for the period from April 1 to December 31, 2014.

RESERVES

GLJ prepared an independent engineering report in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 ("NI 51-101") with an effective date of December 31, 2013 (the "GLJ Report"). The tables below are a summary of the oil, NGL and natural gas reserves attributable to the Corporation and the net present value of future net revenue attributable to such reserves as evaluated in the GLJ Report.

The net present value of future net revenue attributable to reserves is stated without provision for interest costs and general and administrative costs, but after providing for estimated royalties, production costs, development costs, other income, future capital expenditures and well abandonment costs for only those wells assigned reserves by GLJ.  It should not be assumed that the undiscounted or discounted net present value of future net revenue attributable to reserves estimated by GLJ represents the fair market value of those reserves. Other assumptions and qualifications relating to costs, prices for future production and other matters are summarized herein.  The recovery and reserve estimates of oil, NGL and natural gas reserves provided herein are estimates only.  Actual reserves may be greater than or less than the estimates provided herein.

The reserve data provided in this press release only represents a summary of the disclosure required under NI 51-101. Additional reserves disclosure will be provided in the Corporation's Annual Information Form to be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) on or before April 30, 2014. The tables summarize the data contained in the GLJ Report and as a result may contain slightly different numbers than such report due to rounding.  Also due to rounding, certain columns may not add exactly.

      

Summary of Oil and Gas Reserves as of December 31, 2013

Reserves Summary
			Oil				Natural Gas				Natural Gas Liquids				Total Oil Equivalent
Reserves Category			Gross (Mbbl)	Net (Mbbl)			Gross (MMcf)	Net (MMcf)			Gross (Mbbl)	Net (Mbbl)			Gross (Mboe)	Net (Mboe)
Proved
		Developed Producing	838	725			200	166			8	6			879	758
		Developed Non-producing	77	64			121	85			-	-			97	78
		Undeveloped	151	130			79	63			3	2			167	143
Total Proved			1,066	918			400	314			11	8			1,144	979
Probable			494	427			1,023	688			4	3			669	546
Total Proved plus Probable			1,560	1,344			1,423	1,002			15	12			1,813	1,525

      

Net Present Value Summary as of December 31, 2013

			Net Present Value of Future Net Revenue Before Income Taxes Discounted At (%/year)							Unit Value Before Income Tax Discounted at 10%/year
Reserves Category			0% M$	5% M$	10% M$	15% M$	20% M$			$/boe
Proved
		Developed Producing	31,276	28,242	25,803	23,803	22,133			34.02
		Developed Non-producing	3,005	2,278	1,766	1,398	1,127			22.70
		Undeveloped	4,794	3,896	3,213	2,681	2,257			22.53
Total Proved			39,075	34,415	30,782	27,881	25,517			31.45
Probable			20,607	15,483	12,077	9,717	8,022			22.13
Total Proved plus Probable			59,682	49,898	42,859	37,598	33,539			28.11

      

Total Future Net Revenue (Undiscounted) as of December 31, 2013

Reserves Category	Revenue M$	Royalties M$	Operating Cost M$	Capital Development Costs M$	Abandonment Costs M$	Future Net Revenue   Before Income Tax M$
Total Proved	79,783	12,562	24,731	2,164	1,251	39,075
Total Proved plus Probable	123,218	19,997	39,473	2,573	1,492	59,682

Summary of Forecast Pricing and Inflation Assumptions

The GLJ Report used the following prices, exchange rates, and inflation rate assumptions as of December 31, 2013:

      

Year	WTI Cushing Oklahoma ($US/bbl)	Edmonton 40 degree API Crude Oil ($CAD/bbl)	WCS Crude Oil ($CAD/bbl)	AECO - NIT Spot ($CAD/mmbtu)	Inflation Rate %	Exchange Rate ($US/$CAD)
2014	97.50	92.76	75.60	4.03	2.0	0.95
2015	97.50	97.37	79.36	4.26	2.0	0.95
2016	97.50	100.00	81.50	4.50	2.0	0.95
2017	97.50	100.00	81.50	4.74	2.0	0.95
2018	97.50	100.00	81.50	4.97	2.0	0.95
2019	97.50	100.00	81.50	5.21	2.0	0.95
2020	98.54	100.77	82.13	5.33	2.0	0.95
2021	100.51	102.78	83.76	5.44	2.0	0.95
2022	102.52	104.83	85.44	5.55	2.0	0.95
2023	104.57	106.93	87.14	5.66	2.0	0.95
Escalated at 2.0 % per year thereafter.

FINDING AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS ("F&D") ^(1)
			2013			2012			Three Year Average
			Proved	Proved plus Probable		Proved	Proved plus Probable		Proved	Proved plus Probable
Exploration and development costs (M$) ^(2)			8,899	8,899		9,152	9,152		28,957	28,957
Change in future development cost (M$)
	Exploration and development		(481)	(876)		1,249	838		808	(1,513)
Total costs (M$)			8,418	8,023		10,401	9,990		29,765	27,444
Net reserve additions and revisions (Mboe)			242	324		526	592		977	1,019
Finding and Development - including future development cost ($/boe)
	Total F&D costs ($/boe)		34.73	24.78		19.77	16.87		30.48	26.94

^(1)	The aggregate of the exploration and development costs incurred in the most recent financial year and the change during that year in estimated future development costs generally will not reflect total finding and development costs related to reserve additions for that year.
^(2)	The Corporation's annual audit of the 2013 financial statements has not been completed and accordingly all financial amounts are management's best estimates which are unaudited and subject to change.

NET ASSET VALUE
M$, except per share amounts			December 31, 2013
Proved plus probable reserves discounted at 10% (before taxes)			42,859
Undeveloped land and seismic ^(1)			6,769
Net debt and working capital deficit ^(2)			(7,626)
Proceeds from dilutive options			657
Net asset value			42,659
Fully diluted Class A shares outstanding (000's) ^(3)			36,891
Net asset value per fully diluted Class A share			$1.16
Fully diluted Class A and Class B shares outstanding (000's) ^(4)			47,691
Net asset value per fully diluted Class A and Class B shares			$0.89

^(1)	Undeveloped land is based on management's internal estimate at December 31, 2013. Hawk had a total of 40,635 net acres of land at December 31, 2013 assessed at an average value of $125 per net acre. The value of seismic data is based on management's internal estimate at December 31, 2013 using a percentage of costs incurred in shooting the seismic data.
^(2)	The Corporation's annual audit of the 2013 financial statements has not been completed and accordingly all financial amounts are management's best estimates which are unaudited and subject to change.
^(3)	Includes Class A shares outstanding at December 31, 2013 of 34,605,953 plus dilutive options of 2,285,000.
^(4)	For purposes of this calculation, Class B shares were converted to Class A shares at $1.00 per share such that the 1,080,000 Class B shares outstanding at December 31, 2013 were converted into 10,800,000 Class A shares. The Class B common shares are convertible (at the option of the Corporation) at any time after July 2, 2012 and on or before June 30, 2014 into Class A shares. The number of Class A shares to be issued upon conversion of one Class B share is calculated by dividing $10 by the greater of $1 and the then current market price of the Class A shares at the date of conversion. If conversion has not occurred by the close of business on June 30, 2014, the Class B shares become convertible (at the option of the shareholder) into Class A shares pursuant to the conversion formula described above. Effective at the close of business on July 31, 2014, all remaining Class B shares will be automatically converted into Class A shares pursuant to the conversion formula described above.

LAND HOLDINGS
	Developed			Undeveloped			Total
Acres	Gross	Net		Gross	Net		Gross	Net
Alberta	2,640	2,413		27,085	26,461		29,725	28,874
Saskatchewan	2,510	2,041		18,444	14,174		20,954	16,215
Total	5,150	4,454		45,529	40,635		50,679	45,089

Hawk is an emerging company engaged in the exploration, development and production of conventional crude oil and natural gas in western Canada and is based in Calgary, Alberta. The Class A Shares and Class B Shares of Hawk trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbols of HWK.A and HWK.B, respectively.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on the Corporation's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the assumption was made. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Hawk believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

In particular, but without limiting the forgoing, this press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the following: the volumes and estimated value of the Corporation's oil and gas reserves; future oil and natural gas prices; future costs, expenses, royalty rates and the exchange rate between the $US and $CAD; supply and demand for oil and natural gas; planned development of the Corporation's oil and natural gas properties; the timing of production additions from the first quarter 2014 drilling program; expected first quarter 2014 production; and future capital expenditure programs.

The material factors and assumptions used to develop these forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Corporation to engage drilling contractors, to obtain and transport equipment, services, supplies and personnel in a timely manner and at an acceptable cost to carry out its activities and plans; the ability of the Corporation to market its oil and natural gas and to transport its oil and natural gas to market; the timely receipt of regulatory approvals and the terms and conditions of such approval; the ability of the Corporation to obtain drilling success consistent with expectations; and the ability of the Corporation to obtain capital to finance its exploration, development and operations.

Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors including, without limitation: volatility in market prices for oil and natural gas; liabilities inherent in oil and natural gas operations; uncertainties associated with estimating oil and natural gas reserves; competition for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped lands and skilled personnel; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions and exploration and development programs; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the oil and natural gas industry; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions; general business and market conditions; and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Hawk's public disclosure documents.

Statements relating to "reserves" or "resources" are deemed to be forward-looking statements, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the resources and reserves described can be profitably produced in the future. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists of factors are not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Hawk does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Barrels of oil equivalent (boe) may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet (mcf) of natural gas to one barrel (bbl) of oil is based on an energy conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and is not intended to represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. All boe conversions in this press release are derived by converting natural gas to oil in the ratio of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil. Certain financial amounts are presented on a per boe basis, such measurements may not be consistent with those used by other companies.

SOURCE: Hawk Exploration Ltd.

Steve Fitzmaurice 
President, CEO and Chairman 
Tel: [phone] Ext 225 
Email: [email protected] 

Dennis Jamieson
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: [phone] Ext 234
Email: [email protected]