Regulatory News:

La Française de l’Énergie (LFDE) is pleased to announce the spudding of its CBR-1 well. This is the first well of LFDE’s pre-development phase targeting 4 drilling pads covering gas resources on 0.9 % of the company’s Lorraine permits.

Since the launch of CBM exploration in the Lorraine region, the LFDE group drilled four wells, built a 3D underground model of the Sarro-Lorraine basin, and demonstrated the profitability of a clean and local gas production with the certification of the first Coal Bed Methane proven reserves in Western Europe.

Julien Moulin, Executive Chairman of LFDE, commented « We are pleased to start our new exciting drilling campaign ahead of schedule. This drilling campaign is part of our strategy to implement local gas production centers catering for the energy needs of the regional clients. Our Coal Bed Methane is a high quality gas with a much better carbon (CO2) footprint than the actual imported gas consumed in France. »

The CBR-1 well

Over the next days, two drilling rigs will be working back to back on the wellsite. The first rig will be responsible for the installation of the conductor pipe and will be directly followed by a larger rig, to drill the vertical and horizontal sections of the well.

La Française de l’Energie introduced an innovative approach through the installation of an impermeable layer covering the entire drilling platform. This is the first such platform in France with the objective of zero discharge, confirming the status of LFDE as the leading eco-friendly operator in France.

LFDE will be drilling the CBR-1 well for an estimated period of 45 days. This period will be followed by a testing phase that will refine the characteristic of this geological block ahead of launching the first production.

The CBR-1 well will enable our teams to identify eight coal seams (13, 14-1, 14-2, 15-1, 15-2, 191, 19-2) within the geological block of Lachambre where 33 m of cumulated coal thickness is present and 29 BCF (821 Million m3) of gas in place is targeted*. At this stage of our pre-development phase, only one coal seam will be drilled.

Our privileged access to the market given LFDE’s proximity to existing gas pipelines and clients, coupled with a low production cost and a small carbon footprint, ten times lower than the imported gas mix in France, are key advantages for the development of our activity in Lorraine.

*assuming an average of 10m3 per ton of coal

Reuters code: LFDE.PA

     

Bloomberg code: LFDE.FP

About La Française de l’Énergie

Awarded the young innovative status by Bpifrance since June 2013, La Française de l’Énergie is a dynamic SME headquartered in East of France and the first gas producer in France. Specialised in the coal bed methane and coal mine methane production, La Française de l’Énergie produces a local high quality energy from the significant gas resources contained in the former mining basins of North-Eastern France. With the development of this local and strategic energy, La Française de l’Énergie builds an economically and ecologically competitive project with significant value added for the local communities.

More information available on www.francaisedelenergie.fr

La Française de l’ÉnergiePress Relations+ 33 3 87 04 34 51contact@francaisedelenergie.frorInvestor Relations+33 3 87 04 32 11ir@francaisedelenergie.fr