Premier announces landmark acquisitions with BP and Dana for USD816 million

Premier announced the below this morning.

Premier is pleased to announce the proposed acquisitions of the Andrew Area and Shearwater assets from BP for US$625 million, and an additional 25 per cent. interest in the Premier operated Tolmount Area from Dana for US$191 million plus contingent payments of up to US$55 million (together the “Acquisitions”). Premier is also pleased to announce the proposed extension of its existing credit facilities to 30 November 2023.

In addition, Premier today provides a separate trading update ahead of its 2019 Full Year Results including the proposed farm-out of part of its Sea Lion and Tuna assets.

Rationale and benefits of the Acquisitions

• Add c.23 kboepd of cash generative production in 2019 with development upside; acquired assets forecast to generate over US$1 billion of free cash flow to end 2023
• Add 82 mmboe of reserves and contingent resources at an implied cost of less than US$10/boe
• Contribute to rising Group production out to 2024 with pro forma 2019 production in excess of 100 kboepd
• Add low cost, low carbon emission assets with combined opex of less than US$20/boe
• Accelerate the use of Premier’s US$4.2bn tax losses
• Materially strengthen Premier’s financial position
• Additional free cash flow accelerates debt reduction
• Significantly reduce forward covenant leverage ratio towards 1x by 2022
• Extension of existing, non-amortising facilities to late 2023

Asset highlights

• Andrew Area (50%-100% interests in 5 fields, operatorship): currently producing c.18 kboepd (net to BP) with material near term upside through further development of the Andrew Lower Cretaceous reservoir
• Shearwater (27.5% interest): significant producing and infrastructure hub, adding 25 mmboe of reserves and resources with incremental investment opportunities and tariff income
• Tolmount (25% interest): consolidates interest in existing high return development, which is on schedule to deliver first gas by end-2020, with significant upside following recent drilling success at Tolmount East

The proposed Acquisitions will be funded via a US$500m equity raise (net of expenses) which has been fully underwritten on a standby basis, existing cash resources and, if required, an Acquisition Bridge Facility of US$300 million. Premier expects that the equity raise will include both a placing and rights issue component with any shares issued under the placing qualifying for the subsequent pre-emptive rights issue. It expects to confirm the structure and terms in Q1 2020 following consultation with major shareholders.

RBC Capital Markets and Jefferies are acting as Joint Corporate Brokers and Joint Underwriters.

RBC Capital Markets is also acting as Financial Adviser and Sponsor.

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Verus acquires CIECO's UK North Sea portfolio

Verus has agreed to acquire Cieco Exploration & Production (UK) from parent ITOCHU Corporation for USD400 million. The effective date of the transaction is 1 January 2018.

The acquisition will includes a 23.1% interest in the Western Isles Development Project, a 25.8% interest in the Hudson field, a 2.0% interest in the Brent Pipeline System, and a 1.2% interest in the Sullom Voe terminal. This will add 11mboepd taking Verus' net production to c.18mboepd

The transaction will be funded by a combination of equity, existing cash reserves and debt. Equity will be provided by HitecVision, the majority owner of Verus.

Alan Curran, Chief Executive of Verus Petroleum commented:

"Verus is pleased to have signed this SPA with ITOCHU, which is aligned with our strategy to expand our production base and cash flow through the acquisition of high quality production assets. We are delighted to acquire high value barrels with the Western Isles production in particular having very low lifting costs and being a long-life asset with strong cash generation...

The Western Isles development includes the Harris and Barra oil fields. Production has exceeded expectations since it started in November 2017 and is currently on plateau at in excess of 40,000 boepd, with an estimated field life of 15 years.

HitecVision’s continued support provides Verus with a solid capital base which is a robust foundation for further growth."

Western Isles

The Western Isles project comprises the Harris and Barra fields, located south of Hudson. The two fields have been developed as subsea tie-backs to a new build cylindrical FPSO.  First production was originally envisaged to be in 2015, but delays to the construction of the FPSO topsides meant production was not achieved until November 2017.

Verus has therefore acquired the Western Isles post first oil with a few months of production history. The field is Dana Petroleum's (76.9%) first fully operated full development and therefore a landmark project for Dana.

The field is estimated to contain c.50mmbbl oil and c.2bcf gas, peaking at 40mbopd production. Produced gas will be used for fuel until the field becomes gas deficient at which time it will look to import gas.

Western Isles cylindrical FPSO

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Tolmount sanctioned with first gas by end 2020

Premier Oil, Dana Petroleum and Antin has sanctioned the Tolmount gas field in the UK North Sea which is planned to be onstream towards the end of 2020. This represents major project for the partners with 500bcf of gas and plateau production of 300mmcfpd.

This field will further help steer the fortunes of the two upstream partners. Premier Oil is looking for longer term growth projects having been financially constrained for years under a debt mountain and now that Catcher is onstream. For Dana, the company has been strategically lost with its parent KNOC providing minimal guidance over the years.

In progressing this project, Premier Oil has struck a smart deal. Although not necessarily the cheapest form of financing, Premier Oil has been able to secure a deal which massively limits its capex spend on the development. By bringing in Antin to fund its share of the platform and export pipeline to the Easington terminal, it has halved its capex spend to USD120m which will largely be for drilling. In return, Antin will charge a tariff for use of the platform/pipeline transportation from Premier Oil’s share of revenues.

#Premier #KNOC #Dana #Tolmount #NorthSea #Antin

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