Continental Resources : Reports Record STACK Meramec Well

OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR) (the 'Company') today announced a new Company record well in the over-pressured oil window of the Oklahoma STACK play. The Angus Trust 1-4-33XH produced 4,642 barrels of oil equivalent (Boe) per day in a 24-hour test, comprised of 2,088 barrels of oil (Bo) and 15.3 million cubic feet (MMcf) of natural gas. During this initial production test, the Angus Trust flowed at 5,200 psi (pounds per square inch). Continental has a 78% working interest in the well.

The Angus Trust well is located immediately north of Continental's Boden 1-15-10XH in south central Blaine County. The Boden produced an initial 24-hour test rate of 3,508 Boe, 28% oil, at a flowing casing pressure of more than 5,000 psi. The Boden was Continental's first completion in the condensate window of the over-pressured STACK. In just over a year, the Boden has produced 591,000 Boe, 26% oil. The Boden is currently producing 1,815 Boe per day, 22% oil, at a flowing casing pressure of 2,900 psi.

'The Angus Trust is another tremendous STACK Meramec well,' said Harold Hamm, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 'Aside from being a Company record well, it further validates our perspective of the extent of the over-pressured oil window.'

The Company estimates its total completed well cost for the Angus Trust is $8.9 million, approximately 30% less than the Boden. The Angus Trust's 9,500-foot lateral was completed in 36 stages, with 20 million pounds of white sand, similar to the Boden.

December Production Exit Rate Revised Higher

As a result of strong production in both North Dakota and Oklahoma, the Company has increased its expected production exit rate for December 2016. The Company now expects to exit 2016 with production in a range of 213,000 to 218,000 Boe per day, compared with the previous guidance range of 205,000 to 210,000 Boe per day. The Company expects to maintain approximately this production level through the first quarter of 2017.

About Continental Resources

Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) is a top 10 independent oil producer in the U.S. Lower 48 and a leader in America's energy renaissance. Based in Oklahoma City, Continental is the largest leaseholder and one of the largest producers in the nation's premier oil field, the Bakken play of North Dakota and Montana. The Company also has leading positions in Oklahoma, including its SCOOP Woodford and SCOOP Springer discoveries and the STACK and Northwest Cana plays. With a focus on the exploration and production of oil, Continental has unlocked the technology and resources vital to American energy independence and our nation's leadership in the new world oil market. In 2017, the Company will celebrate 50 years of operations. For more information, please visit www.CLR.com.

Cautionary Statement for the Purpose of the 'Safe Harbor' Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements included in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, but not limited to, forecasts or expectations regarding the Company's business and statements or information concerning the Company's future operations, performance, financial condition, production and reserves, schedules, plans, timing of development, rates of return, budgets, costs, business strategy, objectives, and cash flows are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words 'could,' 'may,' 'believe,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'project,' 'budget,' 'plan,' 'continue,' 'potential,' 'guidance,' 'strategy,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions about future events and currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Although the Company believes these assumptions and expectations are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that such expectations will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility; the geographic concentration of our operations; financial market and economic volatility; the inability to access needed capital; the risks and potential liabilities inherent in crude oil and natural gas drilling and production and the availability of insurance to cover any losses resulting therefrom; difficulties in estimating proved reserves and other reserves-based measures; declines in the values of our crude oil and natural gas properties resulting in impairment charges; our ability to replace proved reserves and sustain production; the availability or cost of equipment and oilfield services; leasehold terms expiring on undeveloped acreage before production can be established; our ability to project future production, achieve targeted results in drilling and well operations and predict the amount and timing of development expenditures; the availability and cost of transportation, processing and refining facilities; legislative and regulatory changes adversely affecting our industry and our business, including initiatives related to hydraulic fracturing; increased market and industry competition, including from alternative fuels and other energy sources; and the other risks described under Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, registration statements and other reports filed from time to time with the SEC, and other announcements the Company makes from time to time.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which such statement is made. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this report, or otherwise.

Readers are cautioned that initial production rates are subject to decline over time and should not be regarded as reflective of sustained production levels. In particular, production from horizontal drilling in shale oil and natural gas resource plays and tight natural gas plays that are stimulated with extensive pressure fracturing are typically characterized by significant early declines in production rates.

We use the term 'EUR' or 'estimated ultimate recovery' to describe potentially recoverable oil and natural gas hydrocarbon quantities. We include these estimates to demonstrate what we believe to be the potential for future drilling and production on our properties. These estimates are by their nature much more speculative than estimates of proved reserves and require substantial capital spending to implement recovery. Actual locations drilled and quantities that may be ultimately recovered from our properties will differ substantially. EUR data included herein remain subject to change as more well data is analyzed.

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SOURCE Continental Resources