MEDIA RELEASE PR40014
Far East Energy Announces Long-Term Gas Sales Agreement for Shouyang
HOUSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Far East Energy Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: FEEC) announced today that it has negotiated a
Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) with its partner, China United Coal Bed Methane Corporation (CUCBM)
and Shanxi Provincial Guoxin Energy Development Group Co., Ltd. (SPG) to sell all production of
coalbed methane (CBM) from the contract area covered by the Shouyang Production Sharing Contract
(the Shouyang Block). The price received by Far East for its gas will be 1.55 Rmb per cubic meter,
including enacted and recently announced Chinese government subsidies, which equates to
approximately $6.55 per Mcf at current exchange rates.
"We are thrilled," said Michael R. McElwrath, CEO and President of Far
East Energy. "This gas price is over thirty-five percent higher than current
US gas prices, which are running about $4.80 per Mcf. This is one of the
advantages of producing CBM in China, and we are pleased to sign a gas sales
contract with a pipeline that has the capacity to take up to 40 to 50 million
cubic feet per day of our Shouyang gas."
The GSA is a 20-year agreement that provides that SPG is required to
purchase all gas produced from the Shouyang Block up to 300,000 cubic meters
(10,584,000 cubic feet) per day of CBM gas on a take-or-pay basis with any
quantities above such amount to be negotiated pursuant to a separate
agreement. This provision gives Far East and CUCBM the opportunity to
negotiate a new contract for volumes above 10.584 million cubic feet per day
at a time when a second pipeline may have been built to the area, and/or when
gas prices may have risen further. The GSA does not have any minimum delivery
obligations, but does commit all production from the Shouyang Block up to
300,000 cubic meters per day to SPG.
Gas sales are expected to commence upon completion of Far East's in-field
gathering system, which will interconnect with SPG's 18-inch diameter line in
Shanxi Province that is currently under construction and is scheduled to be
completed by September or October 2010.
"We have pursued this gas sales contract tenaciously, but have also been
incredibly fortunate," said McElwrath. "Our great good fortune arose from the
circumstance that SPG was already routing a pipeline between Yuxian and
Jinzhong passing very near our Shouyang Pilot Development; and then was
sufficiently hungry for gas to be willing to build a short connecting line at
its expense. SPG was also willing to commit to take all volumes that we
produce (or pay for any gas not taken)."
"Furthermore," continued McElwrath, "it is remarkable that we can move
straight from early-stage gas production to pipeline sales. In China, first
gas must nearly always be sold as compressed natural gas (CNG)."
As is the practice in China, the GSA was signed by and between CUCBM (Far
East's Chinese partner), as seller, and SPG, as purchaser, with Far East
being an express beneficiary thereto. Simultaneously with the execution of
the GSA, CUCBM and Far East entered into an agreement in accordance with the
PSC, whereby CUCBM and Far East agreed to jointly market and sell all
production from the Shouyang Block.
"CUCBM continues to be the best partner one could hope to have in China,"
said McElwrath. "Their leadership is visionary. They worked tirelessly to get
this sales agreement in place, and negotiated excellent terms for our
benefit."
McElwrath continued, "We are looking forward to a long and mutually
beneficial relationship with SPG. They have built a very impressive pipeline
network in Shanxi Province in a very short period of time, and we are
fortunate that such a well-managed and dynamic company is constructing a
network of pipelines ideally situated to provide offtake for our gas.
A more detailed description of the GSA will be contained in a Current
Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Far East with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Far East Energy Corporation
Based in Houston, Texas, with offices in Beijing, Kunming, and Taiyuan
City, China, Far East Energy Corporation is focused on CBM exploration and
development in China.
Statements contained in this press release that state the intentions,
hopes, beliefs, anticipations, expectations or predictions of the future of
Far East Energy Corporation and its management are forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. It is
important to note that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees
of future performance and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual
results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected in such forward-looking statements include: there can be no
assurance as to the volume of gas that is ultimately produced or sold from
Far East's wells; due to Chinese legal limitations, we are not able to be a
direct party to the contract with the buyer of gas, but are express third
party beneficiaries and are relying on side letter commitments and our rights
under the PSC to jointly market and sell gas with CUCBM; pipelines needed to
transport our gas may not be constructed, or if constructed may not be
timely, or their routes may differ from those anticipated; the gas produced
at our wells may not increase to commercially viable quantities or may
decrease; we may have insufficient capital to fund our planned construction
of our gas gathering system or to continue drilling or further develop the
Shouyang Block; weather may significantly delay our planned development and
drilling program; wells may be damaged or adversely impacted during the
production process, resulting in decreases in the amount of gas produced, or
that can be produced; our lack of operating history; limited and potentially
inadequate management of our cash resources; risk and uncertainties
associated with exploration, development and production of CBM; expropriation
and other risks associated with foreign operations; disruptions in capital
markets affecting fundraising; matters affecting the energy industry
generally; lack of availability of oil and gas field goods and services;
environmental risks; drilling and production risks; changes in laws or
regulations affecting our operations; as well as other risks described in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2009 and subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Far East Energy Corporation
CONTACT: David Nahmias, +1-901-218-7770, dnahmias@fareastenergy.com, or
Bruce Huff, +1-832-598-0470, bhuff@fareastenergy.com, or Catherine Gay,
+1-832-598-0470, cgay@fareastenergy.com, all of Far East Energy Corporation
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