VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - March 1, 2013) - Lynden Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE:LVL) (the "Company") reports its second quarter 2013 results. Highlights for the six months ended December 31, 2012 (the "Current Period"), compared to the six months ended December 31, 2011 (the "Prior Period"), include:
- Total production increased 222% to 188,110 boe (1,022 boe/d).
- Gross revenues, net of royalties, increased 184% to $9,279,144.
- Sale of 16 gross (7 net) Wolfberry Project wells, to BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P. for $25 million, effective December 1, 2012 (the "BreitBurn Sale").
Production for the six months ended December 31, 2012 totaled 188,110 boe (1,022 boe/d). Production for the three months ended December 31, 2012 totaled 97,880 boe (1,064 boe/d), an increase of 9% over production in the three months ended September 30, 2012.
All of the production is attributable to the Wolfberry Project. The production mix, on a percent per boe basis, from the Wolfberry Project remains approximately 65% oil and 35% natural gas and associated products.
Financial Results for the 6 months and 3 months ended December 31, 2012
This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements for the six months ended December 31, 2012 and the notes thereto, together with the MD&A for the corresponding period, which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All monetary references in this news release are to U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
Results of Operations
The Company reported operating earnings of $3,320,507 for the Current Period compared to operating earnings of $1,426,539 for the Prior Period. The Company's net earnings of $10,485,597 and total comprehensive income of $10,648,864 for the Current Period compared to net earnings of $1,418,905 and total comprehensive income of $1,289,853 for the Prior Period. Significant components of the Current Period net earnings were net revenue of $9,270,914, depletion and depreciation of $3,485,932, gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment of $11,166,300, and income tax expense of $4,000,799.
Petroleum and Natural Gas ("P&NG") Revenue
The Company reported gross P&NG revenues of $9,279,144 (Prior Period - $5,043,844) for the Current Period, all from its Wolfberry Project wells. In conjunction with the revenues, the Company reported royalties paid of $2,964,775 (Prior Period - $1,486,182) and paid production and operating expenses of $1,505,529 (Prior Period - $635,193) for the Current Period. The Company also incurred $3,485,932 (Prior Period - $1,718,927) of depletion and depreciation for the Current Period. Average realized prices for the Current Period, were $86 per barrel ("Bbl") of oil and $4.89 per thousand cubic feet ("Mcf") of natural gas, compared to $89 per Bbl of oil and $8.46 per Mcf of natural gas, for the Prior Period. The natural gas selling price is reflective of the thermal value of gas and associated products sold.
The Company also reported gross P&NG revenues of $6,202,197 for the three months ended December 31, 2012 compared to $6,041,722 for the three months ended September 30, 2012 ("Q1/2013"). In conjunction with the revenues, the Company reported royalties paid of $1,571,024 (Q1/2013 - $1,393,751) and paid production and operating expenses of $834,113 (Q1/2013 - $671,416) for the three months ended December 31, 2012. Average realized prices for the three months ended December 31, 2012 were $83 per Bbl of oil and $5.00 per Mcf of natural gas, compared to $88 per Bbl of oil and $4.76 per Mcf of natural gas, for Q1/2013.
Liquidity - Borrowing Base Increases
The Company has a $50 million reducing revolving line of credit. Effective December 31, 2012, the line of credit had a $24 million borrowing base of which $19.9 million was outstanding. As a result of applying a portion of the proceeds of the BreitBurn Sale, there is currently $10.5 million drawn on the line of credit. The Company is seeking a further upward revision of the borrowing base.
The Company anticipates financing the majority of its Wolfberry Project capital expenditures through operating revenues and upward borrowing base revisions on the line of credit.
While the Company continues to have a working capital deficit at December 31, 2012, it is the Company's view that the value of its P&NG holdings is increasing at a rate significantly greater than the working capital deficit. It is the Company's objective to sell portions of its proven acreage in order to manage its working capital position and to redeploy funds to its unproven acreage, where the Company believes it can achieve the best returns for shareholders.
Operations Highlights
The Wolfberry Project
The Company is currently carrying out a rapid oil and gas development program on its Wolfberry Project, where the Company now has 46 gross (19.30 net) wells tied-in and producing. As a result of the BreitBurn Sale, during the three months ended December 31, 2012 there was a net decrease of 1 gross (0.57 net) well tied into production. At December 31, 2012, the Company had 3 gross (1.23 net) wells spud or drilled awaiting completion and/or tie-in.
The Company's current plans call for 25 gross (10.61 net) Wolfberry Project wells to spud in the balance of fiscal 2013 (January 1 to June 30, 2013) at an estimated cost to the Company of $25.5 million. The Company's funding amount for the 10.61 net wells is equivalent to 12.13 wells. The gross cost of a Wolfberry well is currently approximately $2.1 million.
The Company's capital budget is subject to change depending upon a number of factors, including economic and industry conditions at the time of drilling, prevailing and anticipated prices for oil and gas, the availability of sufficient capital resources for drilling prospects, the Company's financial results and the availability of lease extensions and renewals on reasonable terms.
The Company anticipates significant increases in daily production volumes as development of the Wolfberry Project continues. The Company is targeting a June 30, 2013 net production exit rate, after royalties, of 1,200 boe/day. This guidance is forward-looking information that is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control.
Mitchell Ranch Project
The Company's Mitchell Ranch project covers approximately 103,400 acres of P&NG leases located primarily in Mitchell County, West Texas where the Company has a 50% working interest in approximately 67,400 acres, and a 1.25% overriding royalty interest on approximately 36,000 acres subject to a term assignment with a large, independent exploration and production company.
The Company currently has one (0.5 net) producing well, the Spade 17#1, where several rounds of completions have been carried out. During the Current Period, the Company received $56,234 of net revenue from sales from the Spade 17#1 well. The Mitchell Ranch Project is in the exploration and evaluation stage and as such, the net revenues have been credited to capitalized costs.
As a result of significant new drilling activity in the general area around the Mitchell Ranch Project, the timing of the new wells has been pushed out in order to best incorporate the results of other operators into the development plan on the Mitchell Ranch Project. The Company anticipates participating in a seismic shoot over a portion of the ranch in fiscal 2013 as a preparatory step for a new well program.
About Lynden
Lynden Energy Corp. is in the business of acquiring, exploring and developing petroleum and natural gas rights and properties. The Company has various working interests in the Wolfberry Project and Mitchell Ranch Project, located in the Permian Basin in West Texas, USA and in the Paradox Basin Project, located in the State of Utah, USA.
NI 51-101 requires that we make the following disclosure: we use oil equivalents (boe) to express quantities of natural gas and crude oil in a common unit. A conversion ratio of 6 mcf of natural gas to 1 barrel of oil is used. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. The conversion ratio is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.