Savannah Energy PLC the African-focused British independent energy company sustainably developing high quality, high potential energy projects in Nigeria and Niger, is pleased to announce the publication of an updated Competent Person's Report ("CPR") covering the Company's assets in Nigeria, whereby Gross 2P Reserves increased 27%, together with a financial and operational update for the year to date.
Andrew Knott, CEO of Savannah Energy, said:
"I am extremely pleased to announce the publication of our updated CPR covering the Company's asset in Nigeria, showing a 27% organic increase in Group 2P reserves. This progression shown in the heart of our business has been replicated in our financials as we maintain a positive year of growth with total revenues up 7% against the same period last year as we reiterate guidance for 2021. Operationally we have successfully drilled and completed the Uquo-11 gas production well, below budget and at a significantly lower cost than previous Uquo wells drilled by our subsidiary company. We look forward to continuing our positive progress through the rest of the year and we expect to update shareholders as to progress made in relation to the Proposed Acquisition (as defined below) when appropriate. We remain confident in our Company's outlook."
Key Highlights
Updated Competent Persons Report for Nigeria
· Certification by CGG of 108.6 MMboe 2P Reserves (2019 CPR[1]: 85.5MMboe) with additional 99.7 MMboe 2C Contingent Resources (2019 CPR1: 98.0MMboe);
· Significant 27% increase to Gross Uquo 2P Reserves driven by the new Pre-Stack Depth Migration ("PSDM") re-processing/re-interpretation of the Uquo 3D seismic survey and better than prognosis from the newly drilled Uquo-11 well; and
· Nigerian Assets[2] gross NPV10 of US$1.2bn assessed by CGG (NPV10 net to Savannah of US$954m).
Financial Highlights
· Total Revenues[3] up 7% y-o-y to US$192.5m for the 10 months ended 31 October 2021 (year-to-date period ended 31 October 2020: US$180.2m);
· Group cash balance of US$130.8m[4] and net debt of US$382.7m as at 31 October 2021 (as at 31 October 2020: US$80.7m and US$433.3m respectively);
· Total cash collections from the Nigerian Assets up 6% to US$149.2m for the 10 months ended 31 October 2021 (year-to-date period ended 31 October 2020: US$141.1m);
· We reiterate our FY 2021 guidance for the following:
o Total Revenues3 of greater than US$205.0m from upstream and midstream activities associated with the Company's three active Nigerian gas sales agreements and liquids sales from the Company's Stubb Creek and Uquo fields;
o Group Administrative and Operating Costs5 of US$55.0m - US$65.0m;
o Group capital expenditure of up to US$65.0m; and
· We are revising our Group Depreciation, Depletion and Amortisation guidance from US$19m fixed for infrastructure assets plus US$2.6/boe, to US$20m fixed for infrastructure assets plus US$2.3/boe primarily as a result of the reserves increase at the Uquo field.
Operational Highlights
· Successful drilling and completion of the Uquo-11 gas production well, below budget;
· Average gross daily Nigeria production in the year-to-date period ended 31 October 2021 was 21.9 Kboepd, a 16% increase from the average gross daily production of 19.0 Kboepd in the same period last year;
· Of the total average gross daily production of 21.9 Kboepd in the year-to-date period, 88% was gas, including a 16% increase in production from the Uquo gas field compared to the same period last year, from 99.5 MMscfpd (16.6 Kboepd) to 115.6 MMscfpd (19.3 Kboepd);
· Front End Engineering Design ("FEED") progressing for the Uquo compression project; and
· On 2 June 2021, Savannah announced that the Company is in exclusive discussions with ExxonMobil Corporation with respect to the proposed acquisition of its entire upstream and midstream asset portfolio in Chad and Cameroon (the "Proposed Acquisition"). The Proposed Acquisition continues to progress, and the Company expects to provide a further update in the coming weeks.
Nigeria CPR Summary
The Nigerian CPR has been published by CGG and is available to download on the Company's website (https://www.savannah-petroleum.com/en/key-documents). A summary of the gross reserves and contingent resources associated with the Uquo and Stubb Creek fields in South East Nigeria, in accordance with the 2018 Petroleum Resource Management System ("PRMS") is set out in the table below, along with a comparison vs. the numbers presented in the Company's December 2019 CPR as adjusted for production since its publication.
Operational Update
Average gross daily Nigeria production in the year-to-date period ended 31 October 2021 was 21.9 Kboepd, a 16% increase on the average gross daily production of 19.0 Kboepd in same period last year.
Of the total average gross daily production of 21.9 Kboepd in the year-to-date period ended 31 October 2021, 88% was gas, including a 16% increase in production from the Uquo gas field compared to the same period last year, from 99.5 MMscfpd (16.6 Kboepd) to 115.6 MMscfpd (19.3 Kboepd). Gas production levels are driven by customer nomination levels.
Accugas commenced first gas sales to FIPL, an affiliate company of the Sahara Group, in November 2021 for the provision of gas to the FIPL Afam power plant.
The Uquo-11 gas producer well has been drilled and was completed in the D1.0 and D1.3/D1.4 reservoirs on 16 November 2021. The well total net pay thickness came 71ft above prognosis, with a total thickness of 355ft for the main reservoirs' targets (i.e. C9.0, D1.0 and D1.3/D1.4 reservoirs).
The Company also started ordering compression equipment for the Accugas gas processing plant during the first half of 2021. Factory Acceptance Tests for the two compressor packages have been successfully carried out, the Front End Engineering Design is in progress and we expect the Long Lead Items to be ordered before the year end. Both the drilling and compression projects will ensure our continued ability to deliver gas at current and anticipated future increased contracted volumes to satisfy customer demand.
ESG Reporting Update
Progress continues to be made in rolling out our new sustainability performance and reporting framework across the Group with a view to reporting on this from 2022 onwards. This reporting framework was presented in our re-focused sustainability strategy published in June 2021 which is based on four key strategic pillars: (1) promoting socio-economic prosperity; (2) ensuring safe and secure operations; (3) supporting and developing our people; and (4) respecting the environment. These four strategic pillars are aligned with 13 key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals ("UN SDGs"), where we believe Savannah can have the biggest economic, environmental, social and governance impact to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. While anchoring our strategy around these 13 UN SDGs, we have chosen to integrate six additional sustainability reporting standards into our new performance and reporting framework. These have been selected on the basis of those most relevant for our sector and of most importance to our stakeholders and include those for: the Global Reporting Index ("GRI"); the eight International Finance Corporation Performance Standards ("IFC PS"); the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers ("IOGP"); the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association ("IPIECA"); the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board ("SASB"); and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD").
