Contact Exploration Confirms Repeatability of Kakwa Liquids-Rich Montney Development with Second Successful Well

(TSX-V:CEX)

CALGARY, Nov. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Contact Exploration Inc. ("Contact" or the "Company") (TSX-V: CEX) is pleased to announce that the second Contact-operated horizontal Montney well (the "14-30 Well") has been successfully completed with a 14 stage water-based nitrogen foam frac. The well was flowed for 96 hours against anticipated gathering system pressure of approximately 1,100psi. During the final 24 hours of flow-back the well averaged gross production rates of 974 bbl/d condensate and 4,970 mcf/d gas, being 1,803 boe/d combined (244 bbl/d and 1,243 mcf/d, or 450 boe/d combined, net to Contact).  An additional 4 hour flow test was subsequently conducted to provide insight into the free-flowing initial deliverability of the well, against a final wellhead pressure of 360 psi, which test resulted in gross rates of 1,324 bbl/d condensate and 6,423 mcf/d gas, being 2,394 boe/d combined. The 14-30 Well was drilled ahead of schedule and under budget and completion operations have remained on budget.

The successful drilling and completion of the 14-30 Well confirms that Contact's Kakwa lands are in the heart of the liquids-rich Montney trend, validating the repeatability of this prolific play. Steve Harding, President and CEO of Contact, commented, "Condensate rates from the 14-30 Well are right in line with our expectations given that both the horizontal length of 14-30 Well and its 24 hour production test volumes are approximately 85% of the horizontal length and test rates from our first well at 13-17.  However, the 14-30 Well has surpassed our expectations for overall condensate production, having flowed more condensate in its 96 hour production test than did the 13-17 well and demonstrating free-flowing well head condensate yields of 200 bbls/mmcf.  The condensate yields from the 14-30 Well will surely enhance the economic returns from this already strongly commercial project."

The 14-30 Well will now be equipped for production and Contact anticipates pipeline connection to the Company's previously built mainline to be finalized by early 2013.  The 14-30 Well was designed to allow for the vertical completion and testing of an up-hole Montney target.  However, given the success of the horizontal test and the potential risk of compromising wellbore integrity, Contact and its partners have elected not to complete this uphole Montney zone at this time. Contact continues to have confidence in this interval and will plan to test the zone in a future well. The Company is currently permitting a new well from the same surface location as 14-30, and is expecting to spud this well by January 2013.

Contact is also pleased to announce that it has acquired at recent Crown land sales, an additional 8 (eight) 100% working interest sections.  These newly acquired lands are on trend with and nearby the Company's original Kakwa sixteen section block that it operates at a 25% working interest.  Furthermore, Contact and its partners have acquired ¾ of a section immediately adjacent to the section upon which the 14-30 Well was drilled.  With these acquisitions, Contact has added a total of 8.18 net sections of prospective Montney acreage for an average cost of less than $200 per hectare, such that the Company now holds 12.18 net sections prospective for Montney development.

The Company advises that although the initial rates from the 14-30 Well are very encouraging, production test results are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or of ultimate recovery from the 14-30 Well.

About Contact Exploration Inc.

Contact Exploration Inc. is a public oil and gas company which has a long-term history of operating in Atlantic Canada and has recently demonstrated success in Alberta's liquids-rich Montney Formation tight gas play. For more information, please see the Company's website: www.contactexp.com

ADVISORY ON USE OF "BOEs": "BOEs" may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent (6 mcf: 1 bbl) is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.  Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.

ADVISORY ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "plans", "cautions" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements.  In particular, but without limiting the forgoing, this press release contains statements concerning the timing of clean up of frac water from the Company's 14-30 Well, utilizing completion techniques on subsequent wells at Kakwa, plans to vertically test and complete an up-hole Montney target on future wells, the economic returns from the 14-30 Well and the timing to tie-in the 14-30 Well, among others. 

Forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of material factors, expectations or assumptions of Contact which have been used to develop such statements and information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Contact believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Contact can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.  Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties.  In particular, in addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, no assurances can be given respecting: whether the Company's exploration and development activities respecting the Deep Basin Montney project and the 14-30 Well will be successful or that material volumes of petroleum and natural gas reserves will be encountered, or if encountered can be produced on a commercial basis; that the results of the 24 hour production test will be indicative of the long-term performance of the 14-30 Well or of ultimate recovery from the well; the ultimate size and scope of any hydrocarbon bearing formations at the Deep Basin Montney project; that additional drilling operations in the Deep Basin Montney project, including at the 14-30 Well, will be successful such that further development activities in this area is warranted; that Contact's efforts to raise additional capital will be successful; that Contact will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with past operations; results from drilling and development activities will be consistent with past operations; the accuracy of the estimates of Contact's reserve volumes; the general stability of the economic and political environment in which Contact operates; drilling results; field production rates and decline rates; the general continuance of current industry conditions; the timing and cost of pipeline, storage and facility construction and expansion and the ability of Contact to secure adequate product transportation; future commodity prices; currency, exchange and interest rates; regulatory framework regarding royalties, taxes and environmental matters in the jurisdictions in which Contact operates; and the ability of Contact to successfully market its oil and natural gas products.

Further, events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, without limitation: changes in commodity prices; changes in the demand for or supply of the Company's products; unanticipated operating results or production declines; changes in tax or environmental laws, royalty rates or other regulatory matters; changes in development plans of Contact or by third party operators of Contact's properties, increased debt levels or debt service requirements; inaccurate estimation of Contact's oil and gas reserve and resource volumes; limited, unfavourable or a lack of access to capital markets; increased costs; a lack of adequate insurance coverage; the impact of competitors; and certain other risks detailed from time-to-time in Contact's public disclosure documents.  Additional information regarding some of these risk factors may be found under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis prepared for the year ended March 31, 2012.  The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Contact undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

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

SOURCE: Contact Exploration Inc.