Ithaca Energy Inc. (TSX: IAE, LSE AIM: IAE) ('Ithaca' or the 'Company') announces that it has successfully completed its planned semi-annual reserves based lending ('RBL') facilities review and continues to maintain in excess of $100 million of funding headroom ahead of planned first hydrocarbons from the Greater Stella Area in the third quarter of 2016.
The Company commenced deleveraging the business in 2015 with net debt reducing from a peak of over $800 million in the first half of 2015 to $630 million at 31 March 2016.
Following the RBL redetermination process the Company's available bank debt capacity is over $430 million prior to Stella start-up. When combined with its $300 million senior unsecured notes this takes available debt to over $730 million, providing funding headroom in excess of $100 million.
Graham Forbes, Chief Financial Officer, commented:
'We are pleased to have efficiently completed the planned RBL redetermination process, reaffirming Ithaca's robust financial position and ensuring continued financial flexibility to manage future risks and opportunities.'
Further Information
The Company has in place two bank debt facilities, maturing September 2018, totalling $650 million; a senior RBL facility of up to $575 million and a junior RBL facility of up to $75 million. The availability to draw upon the facilities is reviewed by the bank syndicate on a semi-annual basis. The first amortisation step for the RBLs is January 2017, when the facility size will reduce to $535 million. Both RBL facilities are based on conventional oil and gas industry borrowing base financing terms, neither of which have historic financial covenant tests. In addition to the bank debt facilities, the Company has $300 million senior unsecured notes due July 2019.
The banks in the debt syndicate are: BNP Paribas, Scotiabank, Deutsche Bank AG, Lloyds Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank PLC, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), Société Générale, NIBC and Wells Fargo.
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About Ithaca Energy
Ithaca Energy Inc. (TSX: IAE, LSE AIM: IAE) is a North Sea oil and gas operator focused on the delivery of lower risk growth through the appraisal and development of UK undeveloped discoveries and the exploitation of its existing UK producing asset portfolio. Ithaca's strategy is centred on generating sustainable long term shareholder value by building a highly profitable 25kboe/d North Sea oil and gas company. For further information please consult the Company's website www.ithacaenergy.com.
Enquiries:
Ithaca Energy
Graham Forbes
[email protected]
+44 (0)1224 652 151
Richard Smith
[email protected]
+44 (0)1224 652 172
FTI Consulting
Edward Westropp
[email protected]
+44 (0)203 727 1521
Tom Hufton
[email protected]
+44 (0)203 727 1625
Cenkos Securities
Neil McDonald
[email protected]
+44 (0)207 397 8900
Nick Tulloch
[email protected]
+44 (0)131 220 6939
RBC Capital Markets
Daniel Conti
[email protected]
+44 (0)207 653 4000
Matthew Coakes
[email protected]
+44 (0)207 653 4000
Forward-looking statements
Some of the statements and information in this press release are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, 'forward-looking statements') are based on the Company's internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs as at the date of such statements or information, including, among other things, assumptions with respect to production, drilling, construction and maintenance times, well completion times, risks associated with operations, future capital expenditures, continued availability of financing for future capital expenditures, regulatory approval requirements, future acquisitions and dispositions and cash flow. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. When used in this press release, the words and phrases like 'anticipate', 'continue', 'estimate', 'expect', 'may', 'will', 'project', 'plan', 'should', 'believe', 'could', 'target', 'in the process of' and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, whether used in connection with operational activities, Stella first hydrocarbons, budgetary figures, anticipated net debt, available bank debt capacity and funding headroom prior to Stella start-up, anticipated debt facility size reduction and the timing thereof, drilling plans, production forecasts and potential developments, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are not promises or guarantees, and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations, or the assumptions underlying these expectations, will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Ithaca Energy Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based except as required by applicable securities laws.
Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Ithaca's operations and financial results are included in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015, and the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in reports which are on file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com).