Noble Energy Announces New Exploration Discoveries In The Deepwater Gulf Of Mexico And Eastern Mediterranean

HOUSTON, Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) announced today discoveries at the Dantzler exploration well in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico and at the Tamar Southwest (SW) exploration well offshore Israel. 

At Dantzler, wireline logging data indicates that the well encountered over 120 net feet of primarily crude oil pay in two high-quality Miocene reservoirs.  The discovery well, located in Mississippi Canyon 782, was drilled to a total depth of 19,234 feet in 6,580 feet of water.  Dantzler is located 12 miles west of the Company's Rio Grande development area, which includes discoveries at Big Bend and Troubadour.  Discovered gross resources⁽¹⁾ at Dantzler are now estimated at between 55 and 95 million barrels of oil equivalent. 

The Tamar SW well, testing a new exploration prospect, encountered approximately 355 feet of net natural gas pay within the targeted Miocene intervals.  Tamar SW, which was drilled to a total depth of 17,420 feet in 5,405 feet of water, is the Company's eighth consecutive discovery in the Levant Basin.  The field is located approximately 8 miles southwest of the Tamar field.  Evaluation of drilling data and wireline logs has confirmed the range⁽¹⁾ of gross resources of the field to be between 640 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas and 770 Bcf.   The well encountered high-quality reservoir sands, with per well productivity anticipated to be approximately 250 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. 

Mike Putnam, Noble Energy's Vice President, Exploration and Geoscience, commented, "These new discoveries, combined with our exploration and appraisal successes earlier this year, have continued our successful organic exploration track record and identified new sources of future growth for Noble Energy.  Dantzler represents our third consecutive exploration discovery in the Miocene trend of the Gulf of Mexico and complements our existing developments at Rio Grande and Gunflint. The field's proximity to our Rio Grande area provides the opportunity for an accelerated development at Dantzler.  In Israel, the discovery at Tamar SW further enhances our discovered resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, which now totals nearly 40 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  The discovery also underpins our ability to meet the growing market demand in Israel and within the region."

Noble Energy operates Dantzler with a 45 percent participating interest.  Additional interest owners are entities managed by Ridgewood Energy Corporation (including Riverstone Holdings LLC and its portfolio company ILX Holdings II, LLC) with 35 percent and W&T Energy VI, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of W&T Offshore Inc.) with 20 percent.  In the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico, the Company anticipates drilling at least two additional Miocene trend prospects in 2014.

Following completion of operations at Tamar SW, the drilling rig will be released to another operator. Noble Energy operates Tamar SW with a 36 percent working interest. Other interest owners are Isramco Negev 2 with 28.75 percent, Delek Drilling with 15.625 percent, Avner Oil Exploration with 15.625 percent and Dor Gas Exploration with four percent.

(1)  Range of resource estimate based on 75^th and 25^th percentile probabilities

Noble Energy is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and gas exploration and production.  The Company has core operations onshore in the U.S., primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa.  Noble Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol NBL.  Further information is available at www.nobleenergyinc.com.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "intends,"  "will," "should," "may," and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy' s current views about future events. They include estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and resources, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include, without limitation, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's business that are discussed in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are also available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits the optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however, we have not disclosed the Company's probable and possible reserves in our filings with the SEC. We use certain terms in this news release, such as "gross resources." This estimate is by its nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including these estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures and risk factors in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the SEC, available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.  

SOURCE Noble Energy