Quarterly Report • Aug 31, 2016
Quarterly Report
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UNAUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30 JUNE 2016
Please find enclosed African Petroleum Corporation
Limited's (the "Company" or "African Petroleum")
unaudited financial report for the quarter ended 30
June 2016.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Further to the completion of the transaction with
Ophir Energy on the CI-513 licence in Côte d'Ivoire in
March 2016, the Company (45% interest) has been
working with Ophir Energy on preliminary planning for
an exploration well to be drilled in 2017.
- The Company is actively engaged in discussions with
a number of governments regarding possible licence
extensions and amendments to existing and future work
obligations. Concurrently, the Company remains in farm-
out negotiations with several potential farm-in
partners for certain licences across the portfolio,
including The Gambia and Senegal.
- Post period end, the Company announced that it has
signed a Letter of Intent with an undisclosed
International E&P company with respect to Licences A1
and A4, offshore The Gambia.
- 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.
- Post completion of the CI-513 transaction, payments
were made during the second quarter in respect of
outstanding training and resource fees on the licence
(US$7.5m), signature bonus (US$0.9m) and bank
guarantee (US$4.4m) to maintain the CI-513 licence in
good standing.
- Approximately US$1.6 million cash at bank as at 30
June 2016, together with US$10.9 million restricted
cash.
- The Company has continued to operate with a reduced
running cost base (implemented in late 2015).
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 positive start
to the year for African Petroleum. The deal supports
our view that an industry appetite still exists for
high quality exploration opportunities despite the
challenging market conditions. Indeed the associated
reduction in costs across the sector in this market
supports the case for exploration while work
programmes can be conducted with much greater
efficiency than in the recent past. Furthermore, the
award of this new PSC at the end of the first period
of our previous PSC demonstrates that agreements can
be reached with governments on licence extensions and
amendments in order to support continued activity and
long-term investment.
Encouraged by this result, the Company's focus is on
replicating this outcome across the rest of our
portfolio. We are engaged in discussions with
potential partners, and with the governments of
Senegal and The Gambia, to align our ambitions and to
support exploration in our licenced acreage position
in this prospective region. Based on a shared
objective of moving forward to drill the high quality
prospects the Company has identified through
substantial technical work and historic investment, we
are confident of concluding additional transactions in
the near future."
OPERATIONAL & CORPORATE UPDATE
FARM OUT PROCESS
African Petroleum seeks to build on the success of
attracting Ophir Energy plc as a partner on the CI-513
Licence in Côte d'Ivoire by forming other strategic
partnerships to explore the Company's blocks in Côte
d'Ivoire, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia, and Sierra
Leone. The strategy, supported by detailed technical
work and prospect definition, is to use the
significant equity held in this prospective portfolio
to fund a high impact exploration drilling campaign.
The industry interest in The Gambia and Senegal
licences in particular, due to the regional context of
hydrocarbon discoveries being made in adjacent blocks
in this part of the Atlantic Margin, provides
management with confidence that agreements will be
concluded in due course.
Côte d'Ivoire
On 16 March 2016, the Company announced that the new a
new Production Sharing Contract ("PSC") with Ophir
Energy plc covering the Company's CI-513 licence area
in Côte d'Ivoire became effective.
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.
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. These farm-out
discussions are being conducted in conjunction with
meetings and discussions with the Governments of The
Gambia and Senegal with a view of aligning the
requirements of the potential incoming partners with
the respective licence terms and obligations.
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.
Although African Petroleum was unable to deliver on a
farm-out transaction in The Gambia or Senegal in H1
2016 due to the challenging market conditions for
exploration activity and the prolonged nature of
discussions with potential partners and governments,
the Company remains confident that current advanced
discussions can yield farm-outs in due course. Further
announcements will be made when appropriate.
Post period end, the Company announced that that it
had signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with an
undisclosed International E&P company with respect to
Licences A1 and A4, offshore The Gambia. The LOI
represents a non-binding commercial proposal regarding
the possible acquisition of interests in Licences A1
and A4 where African Petroleum holds 100% operated
working interest in both blocks. The proposal set
forth within the LOI is conditional upon African
Petroleum confirming the extension of the exploration
periods of both licences by at least 12 months by the
Government of The Gambia, and is subject to ongoing
due diligence and commercial negotiations.
BOARD RE-STRUCTURE
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.
LICENCE PHASES
African Petroleum is actively engaged in discussions
with a number of governments regarding possible
licence extensions and amendments to existing and
future work obligations. The Company maintains strong
relationships with host governments founded upon
recognition of the Company's efforts to progress the
exploration of these licences. Based on the dialogue
experienced to date with the governments of Senegal,
The Gambia, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone,
we are confident that we will achieve outcomes that
are mutually beneficial for our host countries,
potential industry partners and African Petroleum.
Please refer to the next section "Licence Information"
for further information on specific licences.
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.
The current phase of licence CI-509 ended in March
2016; however, the Company has not received a formal
notice of termination and the Company remains in
positive dialogue regarding the proposed suspension of
the licence to enable sufficient time for a regional
technical study and the introduction of a new partner
by the Company, at which point it is anticipated the
licence will be renewed.
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.
The current phase of the ROP licence ended in October
2015; however, the Company has lodged a request for an
extension with the Government of Senegal and remains
in positive dialogue regarding this extension request.
The Company was required to elect whether to continue
with the current phase of the SOSP licence in June
2016 by committing to the drilling of an exploration
well; however, the Company has not elected to commit
to the drilling of the exploration well and has
entered into dialogue regarding the possible amendment
of this licence commitment.
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.
The A1 and A4 licences currently require the Company
to drill an exploration well on either of the licences
no later than 1 September 2016. The Company is unable
to meet this drilling commitment and is in positive
dialogue with the Government of The Gambia regarding
an extension of this licence commitment.
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.
The current phase of licences LB-08 and LB-09 ended in
June 2016; however, the Company has not received
formal notice of termination and the Company remains
in dialogue with the Government of Liberia regarding a
proposal involving the extension of these licences.
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.
The current phase of the SL-4A-10 licence ended in
September 2015; however, the Company is continuing
discussions with the Government of Sierra Leone to
proceed into the First Extension Period of the SL-4A-
10 licence, having fulfilled the commitment to acquire
3D seismic over the licence.
Post period end, in August 2016 the Company received
formal ratification from the authorities in Sierra
Leone for the entry into the First Extension Period on
the SL-03 licence. As previously announced in
December 2015, the Petroleum Directorate agreed to
modify the work programme, minimum expenditure
requirements and social obligations in favour of the
Company during the First Extension Period on the
licence.
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
Whilst the Company acknowledges that the term of
certain assets in our portfolio has technically
expired, we reiterate that we have not received formal
termination of any of our licences and therefore
retain an equity interest in ten licences in five
countries offshore West Africa, including the CI-513
licence in Côte d'Ivoire with our new partner Ophir
Energy. Furthermore, we are maintaining regular
dialogue with the relevant authorities in each of our
countries of operation who acknowledge African
Petroleum's efforts to progress the licences through
significant technical work and substantial historic
investment, against the backdrop of challenging market
conditions that have impacted the Company's ability to
farm-out the licences and complete the required work
commitments in the associated timeframes.
The ongoing dialogue we are having with governments
and potential partners across our asset base gives us
confidence that mutually beneficial farm-out
agreements will be made in the near term, thereby
allowing us to recommence and progress our activity
across the portfolio. Separately, we are excited by
the technical work that we are doing with our partners
Ophir Energy on CI-513 and look forward to the firm
catalyst of exploration drilling in 2017.
STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
We confirm that, to the best of our knowledge, the
condensed set of financial statements for the first
half 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/Chris Judd
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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