VVC Exploration Corporation ("VVC" or the "Company") (TSX-V:VVC) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Plateau Helium Corporation (PHC) has drilled two new gas wells on the Syracuse Project, each of which showed two zones of helium gas. PHC has contracted with TMI Solutions, LLC for engineering and with Eatherly Constructors, Inc to build an internal gas gathering system for the Syracuse Project. PHC continues to acquire additional helium lease acreage as it expands its footprint in the helium business and commences commercial helium and natural gas production at the Syracuse Project.
Incredible Progress by PHC
VVC President Jim Culver took the opportunity to praise the PHC team for the incredible business progress since VVC took over PHC. "These two wells mark the beginning of commercial helium and natural gas production in our Syracuse Project. Eight (8) more wells are permitted and being prepped for drilling. In addition to the four (4) helium projects that PHC now has, it continues to look for opportunities in the helium sector. I want to thank the Team for their hard work and VVC’s investors and shareholders for supporting this transformative effort."
He also noted that VVC recently acquired an investment position in a promising startup resource company, Plateau Carbon LLC (PCL). PCL has since acquired a large industrial gas lease holding that includes carbon dioxide ("CO2"), nitrogen and helium. Plateau Carbon's primary purpose is the geologic sequestration of CO2 in an effort to aid in the reduction of US carbon emissions. The secondary focus is the production and sale of helium.
Commencement of Commercial Production on Syracuse Project
The Durler 2-21 is the first new well drilled on the Syracuse Project and two gas zones were encountered. One zone was perforated and flowed gas while and the second zone indicates gas but has not yet been tested. The well will be completed and connected to the pipeline as soon as the internal gas gathering system connection is available, sometime in Q4, 2021.
PHC’s second Syracuse well is the Levens #2. The same two gas zones were encountered in Levens #2 as in the Durler 2-21. This well was perforated in the same zone as the Durler 2-21 and also flowed gas. And like the Durler 2-21, an additional zone indicative of gas production was encountered which has not yet been perforated. Levens #2 is located very near the Tumbleweed pipeline and is scheduled to be completed, tested and connected to the Tumbleweed pipeline by mid-October.
Site preparation has begun on 8 additional newly permitted Syracuse well locations with drilling to commence in Mid-October 2021 and be completed in December 2021. PHC expects to have a total of ten (10) new wells completed and producing in the Syracuse Project by the end of December of 2021.
The Company also plans to drill twenty (20) additional new wells in Syracuse in the first half of 2022.
Syracuse Internal Gathering System and Tumbleweed Pipeline Connection
PHC has contracted with TMI Solutions, LLC for engineering and Eatherly Constructors for construction of an internal gas gathering system in the Syracuse project. The core of this gathering system will start at the Levens #2 well and connect the Durler 2-21 and the eight (8) other wells to be drilled before the end 2021, in an approximately 15-mile system. This Syracuse Gathering System will provide convenient connector points for balance of the 160 potential well sites in the Syracuse Project.
Continued Acreage Acquisition and Expansion of Syracuse Extension
PHC’s Syracuse Extension has been divided into two separate projects. The first, includes leases in two (2) counties in Western Kansas, now referred to by the Company as Syracuse Extension Kansas; the second includes leases in four (4) counties in Eastern Colorado now referred to by the Company as Syracuse Extension Colorado. Historically, the leases in these two projects was evaluated by proximity to historical wells that tested helium rich natural gas. Because of low natural gas prices at the time of drilling, and lack of access to helium processing these wells were not completed, nor put into production, and were subsequently plugged.
PHC's Helium Projects
PHC now has four (4) helium projects, presently covering an aggregate of approximately forty thousand (40,000) acres: the original Syracuse Project, Monarch Project, Syracuse Extension Kansas, and Syracuse Extension Colorado. Upon completion of the core leasing, the total leases in these four (4) projects is expected to be over seventy-five thousand (75,000) acres with over six hundred (600) potential well locations. In addition to the core acreage in each of these projects, the Company will continue to add properties to each project on an "as available" basis.
Helium Value
Helium prices and demand have continued to increase as the US Strategic Helium Reserve has been depleted. In addition to the more traditional uses in welding and industrial processing, helium is a key item in high tech manufacturing, medical devices and space programs.
Global Investment Daily described the ' Helium Boom that is about to take off in 2021 ' (https://globalinvestmentdaily.com/the-helium-boom-is-about-to-take-off-in-2021) and price wise it certainly has. Long term contract prices for helium (five-year and ten-year contracts) have increased by as much as 25% during 2021, and spot prices in some cases appear to have doubled, making helium one of the most profitable commodity products in the last five years. Even at the low end of the range for the projected five-year average price for helium, PHC could have a significant profit margin on its helium business based on the costs to date for drilling and servicing wells and the existing contract price for helium.
A few companies are now pursuing helium production, but the areas where commercial helium wells have been found are limited. PHC has been aggressively acquiring lease acreage in areas where there has been past production of helium, to allow the Company to grow its helium business rapidly.
PHC’s helium business has the potential to become highly profitable if it can ramp up commercial production over the next 24 months and continues to acquire leases that have a high likelihood of profitable helium production.
Contact
info@vvcresources.com
2369 Kingston Road, PO Box 28059 Terry Town, Scarborough, ON M1N 4E7 Canada
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