When your tool fails your stock drops 35 percent

Houston American Energy yesterday announced a problematic exploration well. They had (drilling) tool failure. The stock fell 35 percent.

I read a lot of press releases: this one is amusing.

HOUSTON, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As reported in Houston American Energy Corp's (NYSE Amex: HUSA) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 and in Form 8-K on December 19, 2011, drilling operations on the Company's first well on the CPO-4 block in Colombia, the Tamandua #1, with a projected target depth of 16,300 feet, commenced in July 2011 and was subsequently sidetracked to address drilling issues associated with high pressure and inflows of hydrocarbons and fluids into the well bore. As of December 19, 2011, the sidetrack well had been drilled to 13,989 feet and efforts were ongoing to control the well bore while continuing drilling to the target depth.  

Subsequently, and as of March 1, 2012, the Tamandua #1 sidetrack well had a 7 inch liner run to 13,913 feet and was drilled to total depth ("TD") at 15,562 feet.   Upon drilling the well to TD, the well encountered Paleozoics which was a clear indication that the TD had been reached.    

While the well exhibited oil shows while drilling, and other indications of hydrocarbons such as log analysis that indicate possible productive sands, hole conditions have prohibited sufficient testing on the bottom hole sections.  There have been many attempts to evaluate the well resulting in tool failures and stuck pipe, and current conditions are such that the operator has made the decision not to try to reenter the bottom hole sections.  As a result of these developments, the decision has been made that without the ability to effectively test the lower zones, the most prudent course of action is to plug back the well and to further evaluate the C-7 and C-9 Formations.  As previously reported and indicated by the Logging While Drilling data, the well encountered approximately 200 feet of net resistive sands in the C-7 formation and approximately 140 feet of net resistive sands in the C-9 formation (resistive sands do not necessarily mean pay).  

Results of the further evaluation of the C-7 and C-9 formations will be announced as soon as they are available.  After attempting to complete the well, the rig is expected to be moved to one of two locations that are currently permitted and ready to receive the rig.  In addition, the Operator has five additional locations that are in various stages of permitting, location and construction. 

John

And a follow up question: can anyone explain to me what is meant by "net resistive sands"? The phrase does not appear anywhere in the Google database not linked to this company.

Post script: There is a Bloomberg article which quotes the CEO as follows:

“I would like to make it clear to our investors that the Tamandua #1 well is not being abandoned,” John F. Terwilliger, chief executive officer of Houston American, said in an e-mailed statement today. 

“Current ongoing operations are to make a completion attempt in the C-9 and C-7 sands,” he said. “As previously reported, the Tamandua #1 well exhibited hydrocarbon shows in the C-7 and C-9 sands, and logged approximately 200 feet of net resistive sands in the C-7 formation and approximately 140 feet of net resistive sands in the C-9 formation. We are eagerly awaiting the results from these completion attempts.”

This corrects a previous article which unambiguously suggested the well was dry.