Earnings Release • May 31, 2016
Earnings Release
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UNAUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31 MARCH 2016
Please find enclosed African Petroleum Corporation
Limited's (the "Company" or "African Petroleum")
unaudited financial report for the quarter ended 31
March 2016.
HIGHLIGHTS
- On 21 December 2015 the Company announced that it
had entered into a new Production Sharing Contract
("PSC") with Ophir Energy plc covering the Company's
CI-513 licence area in Côte d'Ivoire. On 16 March
2016, the Company announced that the new PSC became
effective when all government ministerial signatures
had been obtained. In accordance with the agreement
with Ophir Energy they made a contribution of US$16.9
million towards African Petroleum's back costs in
relation to the block. Ophir Energy holds a 45%
operated interest in the PSC, African Petroleum holds
a 45% interest and Petroci (the National Oil Company
of Côte d'Ivoire) holds a 10% carried interest. The
transaction represents a significant achievement of a
key corporate milestone by the Company, particularly
in light of the prevailing industry environment.
- Post quarter end, Mr Charles Matthews, Non-Executive
Chairman, retired as Chairman and Non-Executive
Director in order to pursue other business interests.
Dr David King assumed the position of Non-Executive
Chairman.
- Advanced farm-out discussions are progressing with
numerous interested parties across the Company's
assets, including The Gambia and Senegal. Continuing
exploration success by third party operators in the
area has led to a significant increase in the level of
interest in these assets.
- The Company's shares were voluntarily suspended from
quotation on the National Stock Exchange of Australia
("NSX"), prior to being removed from the CHESS sub-
register on 31 December 2015 and being formally de-
listed from the NSX before open of trading on 4
January 2016.
- Approximately US$15.9 million cash at bank as at 31
March 2016, together with US$6.6 million restricted
cash.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
African Petroleum, listed on the Oslo Axess (APCL) and
the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
(A1C1G9), is an independent oil and gas exploration
company led by an experienced Board and management
team, with substantial experience in oil and gas
exploration, appraisal, development and production.
The Company is a significant net acreage holder in
West Africa with estimated net unrisked mean
prospective oil resources in excess of 11.6 billion
barrels.
African Petroleum has equity interests in 10 licences
across five countries offshore West Africa (Côte
d'Ivoire, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia and Sierra
Leone). The Company's assets are located in proven
hydrocarbon basins, where several discoveries have
been made in recent years, including significant
discoveries by Total in Côte d'Ivoire, Cairn Energy in
Senegal and by Kosmos Energy in Senegal and Mauritania.
The Company has acquired more than 18,500km2 of 3D
seismic data and drilled three exploration wells, one
of which was an oil discovery at Narina-1 in Liberia.
CEO STATEMENT
"The successful completion of the transaction with
Ophir Energy in Côte d'Ivoire marks a strong start to
the year for African Petroleum. It indicates an
industry appetite for compelling farm-out
opportunities, validates our strategy, endorses our
world-class acreage and demonstrates the ability to
deliver on our stated objectives, despite the
challenging market conditions. The Company's focus is
to convert the multiple ongoing conversations with
potential partners, across our portfolio, into farm-
out transactions. The continued positive news-flow
from the activities of operators in adjacent blocks in
Senegal has certainly assisted with the discussions
related to our Gambia and Senegal licences. Based on
the current level of interest we are receiving in
those assets and the encouraging discussions we have
ongoing with potential industry partners, we are
confident of concluding additional transactions in the
near future that will form partnerships to explore our
world-class acreage position."
OPERATIONAL & CORPORATE UPDATE
FARM OUT PROCESS
African Petroleum continues to seek strategic partners
on its licences in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Senegal,
The Gambia and Sierra Leone in order to share risk and
the potential reward of the Company's exploration
programme, and to fund a high impact exploration
drilling campaign. After successfully bringing Ophir
Energy plc as a partner on the Company's CI-513
licence in Côte d'Ivoire, the Company's near-term
focus is to farm out the Company's assets in The
Gambia and Senegal as ongoing discussions mature with
key potential partners. The quality of the Company's
acreage, coupled with the high level of equity
interest held in all of the licences, provides
management with confidence that agreements will be
concluded in due course.
Côte d'Ivoire
On 21 December 2015 the Company announced that it had
entered into a new Production Sharing Contract ("PSC")
with Ophir Energy plc covering the Company's CI-513
licence area in Côte d'Ivoire.
In accordance with the terms of the new PSC, Ophir
Energy holds a 45% interest and is Operator, African
Petroleum holds a 45% interest and Petroci (the
National Oil Company of Côte d'Ivoire) holds a 10%
carried interest. The new PSC incorporates adjustments
to fiscal terms and holding costs agreed with the
Government of Côte d'Ivoire that reflect the current
commodity price environment and outlook for
development of the deepwater prospects identified
through interpretation of the Company's 3D seismic.
The agreement has resulted in an extension to the
previous minimum work commitments on the block and now
requires that an exploration well be drilled within
two years of the signing of the new PSC.
On 16 March 2016, the Company announced that the new
PSC became effective when all government ministerial
signatures had been obtained. In accordance with the
agreement with Ophir Energy, they made a contribution
of US$16.9 million towards African Petroleum's back
costs in relation to the block. Part of the proceeds
were used to settle outstanding liabilities and meet
obligations under the new PSC such as licence fee,
guarantee and signature bonus.
African Petroleum and Ophir Energy are now working
towards the drilling of an exploration well on CI-513
in 2017. Ophir Energy will contribute an additional
10% (over and above their participating interest
share) towards the drilling of the first exploration
well to be drilled on the block.
The Gambia & Senegal
The Company is continuing advanced farm-out
discussions with several interested parties across the
Company's Gambia and Senegal assets. This part of the
Atlantic Margin has become highly active with the
recent exploration success of third party operators,
namely Cairn Energy in Senegal and Kosmos Energy in
Senegal and Mauritania. A significant level of
activity in the region is ongoing as Cairn Energy and
its partners commenced a multi-well exploration and
appraisal drilling programme across their Senegal
acreage in December 2015, with the first three
appraisal wells SNE-2, SNE-3 and SNE-4 being announced
as successful in January 2016, March 2016 and May 2016
respectively. In addition, Kosmos Energy extended
their Mauritania drilling campaign further south and
commenced drilling in Senegal in December 2015. This
has led to a string of very successful drilling
programmes by Kosmos Energy through the first half of
the year, including significant gas discoveries at
Tortue, Geumbeul-1 and Ternanga-1, and the successful
appraisal well at Ahmeyim-2.
African Petroleum is progressing discussions with a
number of potential partners and the respective
governments. Further announcements will be made when
appropriate in due course.
BOARD RE-STRUCTURE
Subsequent to quarter end, on 23 May 2016 it was
announced that Mr Charles Matthews, Non-Executive
Chairman, had retired as Chairman and Non-Executive
Director in order to pursue other business interests.
Dr David King, who was serving as a Non-Executive
Director of the Company since July 2013, assumed the
position of Non-Executive Chairman, effective from the
retirement of Mr Matthews.
Dr King is a professional geoscientist and has over 35
years of experience in oil and gas and other natural
resources industries. He holds an MSc in Geophysics
from Imperial College, London, and a PhD in Seismology
from the Australian National University, Canberra.
After starting a career in academia, including 2 years
as Research Fellow at the Norwegian Seismic Array
facility at Kjeller, Dr King worked in oil and gas
exploration across a broad range of geographies. He
co-founded, as well as held executive and non-
executive board positions with, a number of successful
ASX listed oil and gas exploration companies,
including Eastern Star Gas Limited, Gas2Grid Limited
and Sapex Limited. He has also served as Managing
Director of ASX listed gold producer North Flinders
Mines, CEO of oil & gas producers Beach Petroleum and
Claremont Petroleum, and Chairman of Robust Resources
Ltd. Dr King is currently Non-Executive Chairman of
two ASX listed companies: oil and gas exploration
company Galilee Energy Limited, and biotechnology
research and development company, Cellmid Limited.
We thank Charles for his leadership and wish him well
for the future. We are fortunate to have such an
experienced Board of Directors that we are able to
make such a high calibre appointment from within. We
look forward to the next chapter of our corporate
story under the chairmanship of David. We have also
been able to leverage Charles' decision to retire from
the Company to further streamline the Board to ensure
it is appropriately sized for a company of African
Petroleum's market capitalisation.
NSX DE-LISTING
In accordance with the special resolution passed at
the Company's General Meeting held on 21 December
2015, the Company's shares were voluntarily suspended
from quotation on the National Stock Exchange of
Australia ("NSX"), prior to being removed from the
CHESS sub-register on 31 December 2015 and being
formally de-listed from the NSX before open of trading
on 4 January 2016.
The Company maintains a primary listing on Oslo Axess,
a regulated market of the Oslo Bors, where it has been
listed since May 2014.
LICENCE PHASES
In Sierra Leone we are holding discussions with the
Government to proceed into the First Extension Period
of the SL-4A-10 licence, having fulfilled the
commitment to acquire 3D seismic over the licence.
The current phase of the SL-4A-10 licence ended in
September 2015. Similar discussions are ongoing in
relation to the Rufisque Offshore Profond licence in
Senegal and the CI-509 licence in Côte d'Ivoire, the
current phases of which ended in October 2015 and
March 2016 respectively.
LICENCE INFORMATION
Côte d'Ivoire: Blocks CI-509 & CI-513
In Côte d'Ivoire, African Petroleum holds:
i) 90% working interest in offshore licence CI-
509, with the remaining 10% held by Petroci, the
National Oil Company of Côte d'Ivoire. The Company was
awarded CI-509 in March 2012; and
ii) 45% non-operated interest in offshore licence
CI-513, with a 45% operated interest held by Ophir
Energy plc and the remaining 10% held by Petroci. A
new PSC for CI-513 was signed in December 2015 and
became effective in March 2016.
The two licence interests have a combined net acreage
of 1,633km2.
Independent petroleum consultant ERC Equipoise
prepared an assessment of prospective oil resources
attributable to the Company's Côte d'Ivoire licences
and estimates the net unrisked mean prospective oil
resources at 1,273MMStb (adjusted for Ophir Energy's
45% interest in CI-513).
Senegal: Rufisque Offshore Profond & Senegal Offshore
Sud Profond
In Senegal, African Petroleum Senegal Limited holds a
90% operated working interest in exploration blocks
Rufisque Offshore Profond ("ROP") and Senegal Offshore
Sud Profond ("SOSP"). The National Oil Company
Petrosen, holds the remaining 10% equity. The
Company's Senegal licences are located offshore
southern and central Senegal, with a net acreage of
14,216km2.
Independent petroleum consultant ERC Equipoise
prepared an assessment of prospective oil resources
attributable to the Company's Senegal Licences and
estimates the net unrisked mean prospective oil
resources at 1,779MMStb.
The Gambia: Blocks A1 & A4
African Petroleum holds a 100% operated working
interest in offshore licences A1 and A4, with a
combined net acreage of 2,672km2. The Company has
completed a 3D seismic survey with data covering
2,500km2 and has found a number of analogous leads and
prospects in its acreage to that of the recent SNE-1
and FAN-1 discoveries and the SNE-2, SNE-3 and SNE-4
successful appraisal wells drilled by Cairn Energy in
Senegal.
Independent petroleum consultant ERC Equipoise
prepared an assessment of prospective oil resources
attributable to the Company's Gambian Licences and
estimates the net unrisked mean prospective oil
resources at 3,079MMStb.
Liberia: Blocks LB-08 & LB-09
African Petroleum, through its wholly owned subsidiary
European Hydrocarbons Limited, is both operator and
holder of a 100% working interest in production
sharing contracts LB-08 and LB-09, which have a
combined net acreage of 5,350km2. The Company has
completed an extensive work programme on its Liberian
licences with 5,100km2 of 3D seismic acquired, three
wells successfully drilled, including the discovery at
Narina-1, and identified key prospects.
Independent petroleum consultant ERC Equipoise
prepared an assessment of prospective oil resources
attributable to the Company's Liberian licences and
estimates the net unrisked mean prospective oil
resources at 4,192MMStb.
Sierra Leone: Blocks SL-03 & SL-4A-10
In Sierra Leone, the Company holds a 100% operated
working interest in offshore licences SL-03 and SL-4A-
10. African Petroleum was awarded a 100% interest in
SL-03 in April 2010, while licence SL-4A-10 was
awarded as part of Sierra Leone's third offshore
licencing round in 2012. The Company's Sierra Leone
licences cover a combined net acreage of 3,925km2 and
are located to the south of Freetown, offshore Sierra
Leone.
Independent petroleum consultant ERC Equipoise
prepared an assessment of prospective oil resources
attributable to the Company's Sierra Leone licences
and estimates the net unrisked mean prospective oil
resources at 1,354MMStb.
HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY
As an operator of offshore concessions, it is the duty
of African Petroleum to provide a safe working
environment and minimize any adverse impact on the
environment. Health, safety, environment and security
policies are embedded throughout all of the Company's
core operations. In this regard, we strive for
continuous improvement as lessons learnt from past
operations are incorporated into business practices
going forward.
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
As an exploration company in the oil and gas industry,
the Company operates in an inherently risky sector.
Oil and gas prices are subject to volatile price
changes from a variety of factors, including
international economic and political trends,
expectation of inflation, global and regional demand,
currency exchange fluctuations, interest rates and
global or regional consumption patterns. These
factors are beyond control of the Company and may
affect the marketability of oil and gas discovered.
In addition, the Company is subject to a number of
risk factors inherent in the oil and gas upstream
industry, including operational and technical risks,
reserve and resource estimates, risks of operating in
a foreign country (including economic, political,
social and environmental risks) and available
resources. We recognise these risks and manage our
operations in order to minimise our exposure.
OUTLOOK
Having recently completed the CI-513 transaction in
Côte d'Ivoire with Ophir Energy plc, the Company is
now focussed on farming out the Company's assets in
The Gambia and Senegal in order to align funding
opportunities for the upcoming drilling commitments in
areas with nearby significant discoveries. The
Company remains confident that it has an asset base
that is attractive to the industry and, despite the
low oil price environment, will be in a position to
announce further agreements during 2016 and recommence
our high impact exploration drilling campaign.
STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
We confirm that, to the best of our knowledge, the
condensed set of financial statements for the first
quarter of 2016, which has been prepared in accordance
with IAS34 Interim Financial Statements, provides a
true and fair view of the Company's consolidated
assets, liabilities, financial position and results of
operations, and that the management report includes a
fair review of the information required under the
Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-6 fourth
paragraph.
For further information, please contact:
Jens Pace, Chief Executive Officer
Stephen West, Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +44 20 3655 7810
Angeline Hicks, Company Secretary
Tel: + 61 401 489 883
Media Contacts:
For UK and International media - Buchanan
Ben Romney/Helen Chan
Tel: +44 207 466 5000
For Norwegian media - First House
Geir Arne Drangeid
Tel: +47 913 10 458
This information is subject to disclosure requirements
pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities
Trading Act.
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