Interim Statement

RNS Number : 4952Z
Petrel Resources PLC
21 September 2020
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21st September 2020

Petrel Resources plc

("Petrel" or "the Company")

 

Interim Statement for the six months ended 30 June 2020

 

Petrel Resources plc (AIM: PET) today announces financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2020.

 

 

Petrel is a hydrocarbon explorer with interests in Iraq, Ghana and offshore Ireland. The world oil and gas industry has taken a public relations hammering in recent times yet world demand continues, and will continue, to grow. Society is very dependent on oil, gas and petrochemicals.

 

As an example, the world in 2020 relies on sterile plastic packaging for syringes, PPE, etc.

 

Our daily lives are improved by a multitude of hydrocarbon based products. Renewables are growing and will continue to grow, but for the coming decades, oil and gas will be the dominant source of energy. This will require new discoveries, Petrel will play a part in this.

 

Petrel has three areas of interest. Iraq, where we have had a presence since 1999, Ghana, where discussions are ongoing since 2008 and offshore Ireland, where Petrel operated in the 1980s and re-entered six years ago.

 

Iraq

 

Petrel is active once more in Iraq after a hiatus since 2010 due to political and financial instability. We negotiated a large exploration block, Block 6, in the Western Desert in 2005. Nothing has happened there in the recent past. In discussions in early 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic, with Ministry officials we renewed our Block 6 interest and re-presented the technical slides done by the Company on the Merjan-Kefl-West Kifl oil discoveries which remain undeveloped. We did extensive work under a Technical Co-operation Agreement on possible ways to develop these discoveries.

 

With appropriate terms and pipeline access, the Merjan oil-field seems poised for early development: it was discovered, as an oil reservoir, by Mobil in 1982, but work did not proceed, mainly for political reasons.  Petrel's work on Merjan did not suggest that the area was gas-prone. The discovery well - Me-1- was located using 2D seismic on a Jurassic reef. No reef or oil was found in the Jurassic, but the well discovered oil in the Upper Cretaceous Hartha Formation.  Recent analysis of 3D data focusses on the Jurassic seismic feature, and does not discuss the nature of any hydrocarbons in the well or the area. The Hartha reservoir in the well tested oil and water, without a significant flow of gas.

 

Given the scope to reduce emissions through gas development, we should also bear Iraq's gas potential in mind:  a staggering 16 billion cm (0.6 tcf) of gas are flared yearly (including valuable liquids), which is about half Iraq's gas output.  We proposed gas and condensate recovery on Subba & Luhais, at various times, from 2004 through 2010, but the necessary legal framework was not then in place.  With appropriate terms and infrastructure, gas economics are also attractive.

 

As lowest cost oil producer Iraq is well poised to benefit from the development of the oil market. Their output can easily double in size. 

 

Tano 2A Offshore Block - Ghana

 

Petrel holds a 30% interest in the Tano 2A block (Clontarf 60% and local interests 10%) Negotiations began in 2008, were finalised in 2010 and ratification was expected shortly thereafter. The saga has dragged on for close to a decade. In the past year high level contacts were reopened. A series of meetings proposed for March 2020 were cancelled indefinitely due to the pandemic.

 

Despite low oil prices, offshore Ghana remains attractive with good geology and acceptable financial terms. In recent weeks the country is re-opening from lockdown so the cancelled meetings are expected to occur by year end.

 

Offshore Ireland

 

This is sad scene. State policy has effectively stymied offshore exploration. All new licences are banned and while existing licences may proceed it is highly probable that any discovery will not be commercialised, it will likely take years to get an exploration permit, if ever, and maybe decades to get planning permission in the face of a small vociferous objecting minority

 

Petrel holds a 10% working interest in Licence FEL 11/18 in the Porcupine. Excellent work has been done by the operator Woodside Petroleum but it is difficult to see how Woodside will commit the tens of millions to drill.

 

Tamraz Group

 

The acquisition of a 29% stake by the Tamraz group in July 2019 was widely welcomed by shareholders followed by approval to go to 51%.

 

The new investors were unable to complete the purchase of the additional shares while the ownership of most of the 29% became uncertain. High Court proceedings stopped any dealings in shares held by the Tamraz Group. This position persists though there is ongoing contact.

 

Future

Petrel is well funded for ongoing activities. The focus is once again Iraq.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Teeling

Chairman

18th September 2020 

 

 

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

 

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. In addition, market soundings (as defined in MAR) were taken in respect of the matters contained in this announcement, with the result that certain persons became aware of inside information (as defined in MAR), as permitted by MAR.  This inside information is set out in this announcement.  Therefore, those persons that received inside information in a market sounding are no longer in possession of such inside information relating to the company and its securities.

 

ENDS

 

For further information please visit http://www.petrelresources.com/   or contact:

 

Petrel Resources

 

John Teeling, Chairman

+353 (0) 1 833 2833

David Horgan, Director

 

 

 

Nominated Adviser and Broker

 

Beaumont Cornish - Nominated Adviser 
 

Roland Cornish

Felicity Geidt

 


+44 (0) 020 7628 3396

Novum Securities Limited - Broker 
Colin Rowbury

 

+44 (0) 20 399 9400

 

 

 

Blytheweigh - PR
Megan Ray
Madeleine Gordon-Foxwell

+44 (0) 207 138 3206

+44 (0) 207 138 3553

+44 (0) 207 138 3208

 

 

Teneo

Luke Hogg

Alan Tyrrell

Ross Murphy

 

+353 (0) 1 661 4055

+353 (0) 1 661 4055

+353 (0) 1 661 4055

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Petrel Resources plc

Financial Information (Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

30 June 20

 

30 June 19

 

31 Dec 19

 

 

unaudited

 

unaudited

 

audited

 

 

€'000

 

€'000

 

€'000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrative expenses

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(345)

Impairment of deferred development costs

 

-

 

-

 

(1,614)

OPERATING LOSS

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(1,959)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOSS BEFORE TAXATION

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(1,959)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense

 

  - 

 

  - 

 

  - 

LOSS FOR THE PERIOD

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(1,959)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exchange differences

 

(9)

 

24

 

(119)

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD

 

(252)

 

(91)

 

(2,078)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOSS PER SHARE - basic and diluted

 

(0.16c)

 

(0.11c)

 

(1.50c)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

 

30 June 20

 

30 June 19

 

31 Dec 19

 

 

unaudited

 

unaudited

 

audited

 

 

€'000

 

€'000

 

€'000

ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intangible assets

 

985

 

2,593

 

984

 

 

985

 

2,593

 

984

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trade and other receivables

 

49

 

59

 

38

Cash and cash equivalents

 

409

 

178

 

368

 

 

458

 

237

 

406

TOTAL ASSETS

 

1,443

 

2,830

 

1,390

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trade and other payables

 

(654)

 

(643)

 

(630)

 

 

(654)

 

(643)

 

(630)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET CURRENT LIABILITIES

 

(196)

 

(406)

 

(224)

NET ASSETS

 

789

 

2,187

 

760

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share capital

 

1,963

 

1,307

 

1,867

Capital conversion reserve fund

 

8

 

8

 

8

Capital redemption reserve

 

209

 

209

 

209

Share premium

 

21,786

 

21,601

 

21,601

Share based payment reserve

 

27

 

27

 

27

Translation reserve

 

367

 

519

 

376

Retained deficit

 

(23,571)

 

(21,484)

 

(23,328)

TOTAL EQUITY

 

789

 

2,187

 

760

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital

Capital

Share based

 

 

 

 

Share

Share

Redemption

Conversion

Payment

Translation

Retained

Total

 

Capital

Premium

Reserves

Reserves

Reserves

Reserves

Losses

Equity

 

€'000

€'000

€'000

€'000

€'000

€'000

€'000

€'000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As at 1 January 2019

1,307

21,601

209

8

27

495

(21,369)

2,278

Total comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

  - 

24

(115)

(91)

As at 30 June 2019

1,307

21,601

209

8

27

519

(21,484)

2,187

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares issued

1,360

0

 

 

 

 

 

1,360

Shares cancelled

(800)

 

0

 

 

 

 

(800)

Total comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

  - 

(143)

(1,844)

(1,987)

As at 31 December 2019

1,867

21,601

209

8

27

376

(23,328)

760

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares issued

96

185

 

 

 

 

 

281

Total comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

  - 

(9)

(243)

(252)

As at 30 June 2020

1,963

21,786

209

8

27

367

(23,571)

789

 

 

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW

 

Six Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

30 June 20

 

30 June 19

 

31 Dec 19

 

 

unaudited

 

unaudited

 

audited

 

 

€'000

 

€'000

 

€'000

CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss for the period

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(1,959)

Impairment charge

 

0

 

0

 

1,614

 

 

(243)

 

(115)

 

(345)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movements in Working Capital

 

13

 

9

 

(28)

CASH USED IN OPERATIONS

 

(230)

 

(106)

 

(373)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

(230)

 

(106)

 

(373)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments for exploration and evaluation assets

 

(2)

 

(47)

 

(151)

NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES

 

(2)

 

(47)

 

(151)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINANCING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares issued

 

281

 

0

 

560

NET CASH GENERATED FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

 

281

 

0

 

560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

49

 

(153)

 

36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period

 

368

 

330

 

330

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash held in foreign currencies

 

(8)

 

1

 

2

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENT AT THE END OF THE PERIOD

 

409

 

178

 

368

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

 

1.  INFORMATION

 

The financial information for the six months ended 30 June 2020 and the comparative amounts for the six months ended 30 June 2019 are unaudited.

The interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting as adopted by the European Union. The interim financial statements have been prepared applying the accounting policies and methods of computation used in the preparation of the published consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019.

The interim financial statements do not include all of the information required for full annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2019, which are available on the Company's website www.petrelresources.com

 

The interim financial statements have not been audited or reviewed by the auditors of the Group pursuant to the Auditing Practices board guidance on Review of Interim Financial Information.

 

 

2.  No dividend is proposed in respect of the period.

 

 

3.  LOSS PER SHARE

 

30 June 20

30 June 19

31 Dec 19

 

Loss per share - Basic and Diluted

(0.16c)

(0.11c)

(1.50c)

 

   

   

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The earnings and weighted average number of ordinary shares used in the calculation of basic loss per share are as follows:

 

 

€'000

€'000

€'000

Loss for the period attributable to equity holders

(243)

(115)

(1,959)

 

     

     

     

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of ordinary shares for the purpose of basic earnings per share

 

150,821,396

 

104,557,246

 

130,647,568

 

     

     

   

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted loss per share are the same as the effect of the outstanding share options is anti-dilutive.

 

 

4.  INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 

30 June 20

30 June 19

31 Dec 19

Exploration and evaluation assets:

€'000

€'000

€'000

Opening balance

984

2,523

2,523

Additions

2

47

196

Impairment

-

-

(1,614)

Exchange translation adjustment

(1)

23

(121)

 

________

________

________

Closing balance

985

2,593

984

 

     

   

   

 

  Exploration and evaluation assets relate to expenditure incurred in exploration in Ireland and Ghana. The directors are aware that by its nature there is an inherent uncertainty in Exploration and evaluation assets and therefore inherent uncertainty in relation to the carrying value of capitalized exploration and evaluation assets.

Due to legislative uncertainty since 2017, exacerbated by the Taoiseach's public statements in September 2019 against the issue of new Atlantic oil exploration licences, Petrel has discontinued farm-out discussions with a gas super-major.  Also, the board reluctantly dropped our 100% owned and operated Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 3/14, despite multiple identified targets. Similarly, the board decided not to apply to convert our prospective Licensing Option (LO) 16/24 into a Frontier Exploration Licence. Accordingly, the directors have impaired in full all expenditure relating to the above mentioned licences, resulting in an impairment charge of €1,613,591 in the prior year. 

 

Petrel continues as a 10% working interest partner with Woodside in Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 11/18, in the Irish Atlantic's Porcupine Basin.

   

  Relating to the remaining exploration and evaluation assets at the financial year end, the directors believe there were no facts or circumstances indicating that the carrying value of the intangible assets may exceed their recoverable amount and thus no impairment review was deemed necessary by the directors. The realisation of these intangible assets is dependent on the successful discovery and development of economic reserves and is subject to a number of significant potential risks, as set out below:

 

· Licence obligations;

· Funding requirements;

· Political and legal risks, including title to licence, profit sharing and taxation;

· Exchange rate risk;

· Financial risk management;

· Geological and development risks;

 

  Directors' remuneration of €Nil (2019: €30,000) and salaries of €Nil (2019: €15,000) were capitalised as exploration and evaluation expenditure during the financial year.

 

Regional Analysis 

30 Jun 20

€'000

30 Jun 19

€'000

31 Dec 19

€'000

 

 

 

 

Ghana

932

918

931

Ireland

53

1,675

53

 

_______

_______

_______

 

985

2,593

984

 

   

   

   

 

 

5.  SHARE CAPITAL

 

2019

2019

 

€'000

€'000

Authorised:

 

 

800,000,000 ordinary shares of €0.0125

10,000

10,000

 

 

 

 

Allotted, called-up and fully paid:

 

 

 

 

Number

Share Capital

 Premium

 

 

  €'000

€'000

At 1 January 2019

104,557,246

1,307

21,601

Issued during the period

-

-

 

 

   

   

   

At 30 June 2019

104,557,246

1,307

21,601

Issued during the period

108,824,869

1,360

-

Cancellation of shares subsequent to year end

(64,035,976)

(800,450)

-

 

   

   

   

At 31 December 2019

149,346,159

1,867

21,601

Issued during the period

7,692,308

96

185

 

   

   

   

At 30 June 2020

157,038,467

1,963

21,786

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movements in issued share capital

 

On 30 July 2019 a total of 44,788,913 shares ("tranche 1 shares") were placed at a price of 1.25 cents per share. Proceeds were used to provide additional working capital and fund development costs.

 

*On 21 November 2019 the company held an Extraordinary General Meeting and received shareholder approval for the following transaction:

 

"64,035,976 Ordinary Shares of 1.25 cent each were to be issued to the Tamraz group at the placing price of 1.25 cent each."

 

These shares (known as the "tranche 2 shares") were issued and allotted to the Tamraz group on 21 November. The share certificates were retained by the Company until payment was received from the Tamraz group.

 

It became known to Petrel that prior to 31 December 2019 the Tamraz group had offered the tranche 1 shares in Petrel as collateral to lenders. This was in breach of lock in terms which were attached to those shares. In addition during December part of the tranche 1 shares were transferred to a third party, further breaching the terms of the lock in agreement in relation to those shares. 

 

The Tamraz group also failed to pay proceeds due in relation to the tranche 2 shares within the timeline required by Petrel. As a result of these factors the tranche 2 shares were considered forfeited and were cancelled by the Group subsequent to year end.

 

Although the shares were not legally cancelled until after year end, they are considered to be forfeited as of year-end given the circumstances noted above and in particular, the fact that Tamraz were considered to be in default of funding arrangements and lock in terms.

 

Had these circumstances been known to the Group on 21 November 2019 the shares would not have been allotted or issued. The Group did not suffer any economic loss due to the transaction as they were able to cancel the tranche 2 shares. As a result the shares are considered to be economically forfeited at year end and have been deducted from share capital on the balance sheet.

 

On 18 May 2020 the Company announced that the tranche 2 shares have now been cancelled.

 

On 26 May 2020 a total of 7,692,308 shares were placed at a price of 3.25 pence per share. Proceeds were used to provide additional working capital and fund development costs.

 

 

6.  POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS

 

There are no material post balance sheets events affecting the Group.

 

 

7.  The Interim Report for the six months to 30th June 2020 was approved by the Directors on 18th September 2020.

 

 

8.  The Interim Report will be available on the Company's website at www.petrelresources.com .

 

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