Interim Results

Aminex PLC 26 September 2003 AMINEX PLC Aminex PLC, the oil and gas company listed in London and Dublin, announces its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2003. HIGHLIGHTS • Drilling operations commenced on Nyuni licence, Tanzania • US gas production up 170% • US oil production up 25% • Acquisition of 9.7% interest in Bounty NL • Net loss reduced from $3.4 million in first half 2002 to $672,000 in current period INTRODUCTION After initial delays, drilling operations have now begun on the Nyuni licence, offshore Tanzania and a result may be expected from the Nyuni no.1 well later this year. As reported earlier to shareholders, we have recently acquired a 9.7% shareholding in Bounty Oil & Gas NL, a young but active exploration company with a broad spread of prospects in Australia and New Zealand. Bounty is joining us on the Nyuni licence in Tanzania with a 10% interest. In the United States, higher oil and gas prices and contributions from the Sabine Lake and Alta Loma discovery wells, now on production, have boosted first half revenues and should provide a greater benefit in the second half. We are currently in the process of leasing up the East Fork prospect in Edwards County, Texas in partnership with Ultra Petroleum. This prospect represents potentially large gas reserves but with commensurate exploration risk. Given the strength of the US gas market and strong forward demand, accumulation of gas reserves has taken on a greater significance and is the focus of our US exploration programme. FINANCIAL RESULTS Turnover for the Group of $3.5 million is $2.3 million higher than the comparative period. Turnover for the comparative period comprised only US oil and gas operations, whereas the reporting period turnover also includes $0.8 million relating to the Group's oilfield services business. The increase in US turnover during the reporting period reflects higher oil and gas production as well as higher average oil and gas prices. Total gas production during the reporting period amounts to 161,000 mcf compared with 60,000 mcf for the comparative period of 2002. The main contributor is the Alta Loma well, which came on stream in August 2002. Gas production also commenced from the Sabine Lake well during June 2003. The average gas price achieved during the reporting period is $5.53 per mcf, an increase of $2.68 per mcf over the comparative period. US oil production is approximately 25% ahead of the comparative period mainly as a result of a successful well workover programme at the Vinton Dome field, additional production from the Vinton 3D drilling programme and a contribution from Alta Loma. The average oil price obtained during the reporting period is $29.40 per barrel, approximately $7 per barrel higher than that of the comparative period. The amortisation charge for the Group of $431,000 is $142,000 higher than 2002 reflecting the increase in US oil and gas production. Included in the reporting period administrative cost of $2,096,000 is $221,000 relating to the oilfield services business, the results of which (including its administrative expenses) were described in the comparative period as 'Share of operating loss- Joint Venture'. After taking into account the share of operating profit from our associated company in Tatarstan of $250,000 (2002: profit $310,000), the resulting Group operating loss for the current period amounts to $651,000 (2002: loss $3.417 million). Included in the comparative period's operating loss is a charge of $1.944 million for bid defence costs. Net interest income and other income in the current period amount to $45,000 and after offsetting a taxation charge of $66,000 mainly relating to our Tatarstan associated company, the Group net loss for the period amounts to $672,000 (2002: loss $3.395 million). Additions to intangible fixed assets during the current period amount to approximately $1.7 million and relate to expenditures on our Tanzanian and US exploration projects. TANZANIA In Tanzania, the Nyuni drilling programme is under way. An F200 land rig owned and operated by Dafora Drilling of Romania is on site at Nyuni, the small island after which the 2,600 square kilometre licence is named. By taking advantage of the island as a drilling platform, Aminex is able to use onshore technology for drilling offshore prospects. The first bottom hole location is directly beneath Nyuni Island and therefore avoids the need for costly directional drilling. Nyuni no. 1 is targeting formations in the Eocene, Lower Cretaceous and Jurassic intervals. Total planned depth of the well is 3,050 metres subsea. Subject to operating delays, which can often occur in remote locations such as Nyuni, Aminex expects to reach target depth before the end of the year, following which the rig will be moved to nearby Okuza Island to drill a second prospect. The Nyuni licence is adjacent to the proved Songo Songo gas field which is forecast to be producing gas into the Songas pipeline system, currently under construction, by the middle of next year. Any gas discovered at Nyuni has right of access to the Songas line and therefore, while the market for gas in Tanzania is still only at an early stage of development, there is existing infrastructure with a variety of potential customers. However, field surveys conducted by Aminex and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation have established the presence of naturally occurring surface oil seeps in the area, including on Nyuni Island itself. Aminex therefore regards the Nyuni programme as a search for oil as well as gas. An oil discovery on the Nyuni or Okuza prospects could quickly be on test production and the oil shipped out using small tankers. Aminex has taken strong measures to protect a sensitive environment at Nyuni and to cause minimum disturbance to the ecology of the marine and land areas of the licence. Nyuni and Okuza are two of six prospects identified by seismic over the licence, although much of the licence does not even have seismic coverage yet, including the deep water part beyond the continental shelf. UNITED STATES The State Tract 8-1 well at Sabine Lake, Texas commenced production in June this year. This discovery well was drilled in October 2001 and tested 9,300 mcf per day and 750 barrels of condensate per day. Production had been delayed due to pipeline accessibility. The well is currently producing at a rate of 6,500 mcf per day and 335 barrels of condensate per day. Aminex has a 10.6% interest in the well and a 15.5% interest in the surrounding acreage. The benefit of this production will be realised during the second half of this year. Overall production increased with the gas contribution from the Sunny Ernst #1 well, Alta Loma, Texas producing better than forecast and from oil production increases in the Vinton Field. Four Vinton wells were recompleted at Vinton and several others are planned. Oil and gas production during the second half of the year are expected to be much higher than in the first half, with the additional gas contribution from Sabine Lake and additional work over wells coming on production. During the year Aminex completed the re-processing of seismic over the Orange Dome field and farmed out the project to industry partners for drilling, retaining a small percentage. Fifteen locations have been identified in the Frio and Miocene formations. Data reprocessing has also been completed in the East Fork prospect and a horizontal well is being proposed for drilling. Re-entry of an existing well at Sabine Lake is planned for the fourth quarter of this year. RUSSIA The Dachnoye oil field in Tatarstan produced 346,000 barrels during the period, an increase of 2% over the same period in 2002. As referred to in the 2002 Annual Report, Aminex continues through the Russian Federal Arbitration Court to dispute an issue of new shares by Ideloil in early 2002 to an outside investor at what Aminex considers to have been far below their full value and which had the effect of diluting Aminex's equity interest from 29.7% to 23.8%. In June 2003, the Federal Arbitration Appeal Court ruled that resolutions passed at an Ideloil General Meeting of Shareholders held in December 2001, namely to issue the new shares and the price at which such shares be issued, were invalid. Ideloil has appealed this ruling but the outcome of the appeal is at present not known. For this reason, we continue to apply the lower equity interest to Aminex's share of Ideloil's profit, while confident that the original percentage interest will eventually be fully restored. OUTLOOK The Tanzanian project is of great significance to Aminex and shareholders will be kept informed appropriately on drilling progress. Aminex is spearheading a drilling initiative in a country where hydrocarbons were discovered a generation ago but which, for various reasons, has since largely been ignored. The East African margin, however, is now generating strong industry interest with new offshore licensing activity in both Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya. The recent investment in Bounty provides Aminex with an indirect interest in exploration activity in a new area of the world and is in line with the company's stated policy of seeking out high impact opportunities for the development of the Aminex group. 26 September 2003 Enquiries: Aminex PLC +44 (0)20 7240 1600 Brian Hall - Chief Executive Simon Butterfield - Finance Director College Hill +44 (0)20 7457 2020 James Henderson Davy Corporate Finance +353 (0)1 614 8934 Hugh McCutcheon Unaudited Consolidated Profit and Loss Six months Six months ended ended Year ended 31 30 June 2003 30 June 2002 December 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) Note US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Turnover: Group and share of joint venture 3,525 2,105 4738 Less: share of joint venture turnover - (840) (1,242) Group turnover 1 3,525 1,265 3,496 Cost of sales (1,899) (1,105) (2,316) Amortisation of oil and gas properties (431) (289) (779) Gross profit/(loss) 1,195 (129) 401 Administrative expenses (2,096) (1,522) (3,400) Group operating loss before bid defence costs (901) (1,651) (2,999) Exceptional item - bid defence costs 2 - (1,944) (1999) Group operating loss after bid defence costs (901) (3,595) (4,998) Share of operating profit - Associate 250 310 856 Share of operating loss - Joint venture - (132) (202) Provision against loans to joint venture - - (624) Loss on ordinary activities before interest (651) (3,417) (4,968) Interest receivable and other income 96 176 283 Interest payable and similar charges - Group (32) (77) (41) - Joint venture - (5) (88) - Associate (19) (35) (8) Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (606) (3,358) (4,822) Taxation - Group (4) - - - Associate (62) (37) (127) Retained loss for the period (672) (3,395) (4,949) Basic loss per €0.06 Ordinary Share (in US cents) 3 (0.74) (4.04) (5.67) Diluted loss per €0.06 Ordinary Share (in US cents) 3 (0.74) (4.04) (5.67) Rate of dividend (in cents) - - - Consolidated Balance Sheet 30 June 2003 30 June 2002 31 December 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Fixed assets Intangible fixed assets 8,521 6,003 6,797 Tangible fixed assets 13,528 12,822 13,585 Investment in joint venture - share of gross assets - 1,172 - - share of gross liabilities - (503) - Investment in associate 4,193 3,572 4,000 26,242 23,066 24,382 Current assets Stocks 95 - 141 Debtors 5,056 3,241 4,791 Cash at bank and in hand 5,487 12,293 8,287 10,638 15,534 13,219 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (5,439) (5,243) (5,940) Net current assets 5,199 10,291 7,279 Total assets less current liabilities 31,441 33,357 31,661 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (124) (142) (136) 31,317 33,215 31,525 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 6,172 6,156 6,156 Share premium account 35,258 35,353 35,212 Capital conversion reserve fund 234 234 234 Foreign currency reserve 513 106 111 Profit and loss account (10,860) (8,634) (10,188) Shareholders' funds - equity 31,317 33,215 31,525 Consolidated Cash Flow statement Six months ended Year ended 30 June 30 June 31 December 2003 2002 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities (322) (1,746) (4,471) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 48 159 212 Interest paid (32) (77) (40) Net cash inflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance 16 82 172 Taxation Overseas tax paid (4) - - Investing activities Purchase of tangible fixed assets (987) (1,718) (2,249) Purchase of intangible fixed assets (1,545) (445) (1,206) Sale of tangible fixed assets 31 2 3 Acquisitions and disposals Acquisition of subsidiary undertakings - (193) (253) Cash transferred on acquisition/(disposal) of subsidiary undertaking - 1 48 Loans (advanced to)/repaid by joint venture - (797) (810) Cashflow from investing activities before management of liquid resources and finance (2,811) (4,814) (8,766) Management of liquid resources Cash withdrawn from short term deposits 7,400 11,607 15,007 Financing activities Issue of ordinary share capital - 32 32 Issue expenses - (259) (295) Return of capital to shareholders - (7,500) (7,500) Expenses on return of capital - - (105) New loans drawn down 46 - 130 Repayment of loan (15) - (21) New finance lease obligations 45 55 70 Capital element of finance lease payments (65) (57) (94) Cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities 11 (7,729) (7,783) Increase/(decrease) in cash 4,600 (936) (1,542) Reconciliation of operating loss to net cash outflow from operating activities Six months ended Year ended 30 June 30 June 31 December 2003 2002 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Operating loss (901) (3,595) (4,998) Depreciation charges 513 355 923 Loss on sale of fixed assets 3 - - (Decrease)/increase in stocks 46 - (29) (Increase)/decrease in operating debtors (139) 1,201 443 (Increase)/decrease in operating creditors (79) 283 (809) Foreign exchange movement 235 10 (1) Net cash outflow from operating activities (322) (1,746) (4,471) Notes to unaudited accounts 1. Turnover Six months ended Year ended 30 June 30 June 31 December 2003 2002 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Oil and gas production - USA 2,706 1,265 3,117 Oilfield supplies 819 - 379 3,525 1,265 3,496 2. Exceptional item - bid defence costs The exceptional item relates to costs borne by the company relating to the proposed acquisition of the company by Apple Oil and Gas Limited. 3. Loss per share The calculation of loss per share for the six months ended 30 June 2003 is based on the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue during the period of 90,899,451 (six months ended 30 June 2002: 83,971,999) and on the loss on ordinary activities after taxation attributable to the shareholders of Aminex PLC of US$672,000 (six months ended 30 June 2000: loss US$3,395,000). The loss attributable to ordinary shareholders and weighted average number of ordinary shares for the purpose of calculating the diluted loss per ordinary share are identical to those used for basic loss per ordinary share. This is because the exercise of share options and warrants would have the effect of reducing the loss per ordinary share and is therefore not dilutive under the terms of Financial Reporting Standard 14 Earnings per share. 4. Comparative accounts Comparative accounts have been restated, where necessary, on the same basis as those for the current period. 5. Statutory Information The financial information for the six month periods to 30 June is unaudited and does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of Section 19 of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1986. The financial information for year ended 31 December 2002 has been extracted from the audited financial statements which have been filed with the Companies Registration Office. The auditors, KPMG, have reported without qualification on the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2002. This announcement is being sent to shareholders and will be made available at the Company's registered office at 14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2 and at the Company's UK representative office at 10 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HE. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Companies

Aminex (CDI) (AEX)
UK 100

Latest directors dealings