Britain’s SDX in ‘Advanced Planning’ to Drill 12 Morocco Wells

A general view shows the Samir oil refinery in Mohamadia, Morocco, April 28, 2018. Image for illustrative purposes. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
A general view shows the Samir oil refinery in Mohamadia, Morocco, April 28, 2018. Image for illustrative purposes. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
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Britain’s SDX in ‘Advanced Planning’ to Drill 12 Morocco Wells

A general view shows the Samir oil refinery in Mohamadia, Morocco, April 28, 2018. Image for illustrative purposes. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
A general view shows the Samir oil refinery in Mohamadia, Morocco, April 28, 2018. Image for illustrative purposes. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal

Planning for the drilling of 12 wells in Morocco is at an “advanced stage,” with the campaign targeted to begin in the fourth quarter of 2019 and complete in the first half of 2020, Britain’s SDX Energy PLC, a North Africa-focused oil and gas company, has announced.

All long lead items have been ordered and all key contracts finalized, SDX announced in a statement. The program will be targeting 15bcf of gross unrisked prospective resources at the Gharb Basin, north of Rabat, it said.

According to the company, its Morocco gas sales are now at an average of 745 boe/d.

The company's Moroccan acreage consists of five concessions, all of which are located in the Gharb Basin in northern Morocco: Sebou, Lalla Mimouna Nord, Gharb Centre, Lalla Mimouna Sud, and Moulay Bouchta Ouest, with the latter two secured by the firm during the first half of 2019.

In 2018, the company began selling natural gas to Peugeot, Extralait, and GPC Kenitra. During the first half of 2019, natural gas sales began to three additional customers: Setexam, Citic Dicastal and Omnium Plastic.

The six new customers have been increasing their consumption rates, with several expected to reach stabilized rates during the second half of the year, the statement added.



Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
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Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold prices rose over 1% to hit a two-week peak on Friday, heading for the best weekly performance in more than a year, buoyed by safe-haven demand as Russia-Ukraine tensions intensified.

Spot gold jumped 1.3% to $2,703.05 per ounce as of 1245 GMT, hitting its highest since Nov. 8. US gold futures gained 1.1% to $2,705.30.

Bullion rose despite the US dollar hitting a 13-month high, while bitcoin hit a record peak and neared the $100,000 level.

"With both gold and USD (US dollar) rising, it seems that safe-haven demand is lifting both assets," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Ukraine's military said its drones struck four oil refineries, radar stations and other military installations in Russia, Reuters reported.

Gold has gained over 5% so far this week, its best weekly performance since October 2023. Prices have gained around $173 after slipping to a two-month low last week.

"We understand that the price setback has been used by 'Western world' investors under-allocated to gold to build exposure considering the geopolitical risks that are still around. So we continue to expect gold to rise further over the coming months," Staunovo said.

Bullion tends to shine during geopolitical tensions, economic risks, and a low interest rate environment. Markets are pricing in a 59.4% chance of a 25-basis-points cut at the Fed's December meeting, per the CME Fedwatch tool.

However, "if Fed skips or pauses its rate cut in December, that will be negative for gold prices and we could see some pullback," said Soni Kumari, a commodity strategist at ANZ.

The Chicago Federal Reserve president reiterated his support for further US interest rate cuts on Thursday.

On Friday, spot silver rose 1.8% to $31.34 per ounce, platinum eased 0.1% to $960.13 and palladium fell 0.6% to $1,023.55. All three metals were on track for a weekly rise.