SPA Signed with PETRONAS for South Sudan Portfolio

RNS Number : 2975J

Savannah Energy Plc

12 December 2022

 

12 December 2022

Savannah Energy PLC

("Savannah", the "Company" or the "Group")

Proposed Acquisition, Reverse Takeover and Suspension of Trading

Share Purchase Agreement Signed with

PETRONAS for Acquisition of Entire South Sudan Oil and Gas Portfolio

Savannah Energy PLC, the British independent energy company focused around the delivery of Projects that Matter in Africa, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement ("SPA") with PETRONAS International Corporation Limited ("PETRONAS") to acquire PETRONAS' entire oil and gas business in South Sudan (the "PETRONAS Assets") through the acquisition of Petronas Carigali Nile Limited ("PCNL") (the "Transaction"), for a total cash consideration of up to US$1.25 billion, subject to certain completion adjustments (the "Transaction Consideration"). The Transaction Consideration is expected to be financed through a combination of the enlarged Group's available cash resources and debt. The Transaction is conditional upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent including, inter alia, approval of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the approval of Savannah's shareholders and re-admission to trading on AIM taking effect.

Completion of the Transaction would result in the Company acquiring PCNL's interests in three Joint Operating Companies ("JOCs") which operate Block 3/7 (40% working interest ("WI")), Block 1/2/4 (30% WI) and Block 5A (67.9% WI), in South Sudan. The PETRONAS Assets comprise of interests in 64 producing fields, with first production having commenced in 1999. In 2021, the PETRONAS Assets produced an average gross 153.2 Kbopd. Major partners in the JOCs include CNPC, Sinopec, ONGC and Nilepet, the national oil company of South Sudan.

The Transaction constitutes a reverse takeover transaction pursuant to AIM Rule 14 and, accordingly, per the above, will be subject to, inter alia, shareholder approval. Trading in the Company's ordinary shares will be suspended from trading on AIM with effect from 7.30 a.m. this morning, and will remain so pending publication of an AIM Admission Document setting out, inter alia, details of the Transaction, or confirmation is provided that the Transaction has been terminated. The Company intends to publish an AIM Admission Document in H1 2023, which will contain a notice of general meeting at which shareholder approval shall be sought, and, following which publication, the Company would seek restoration to trading on AIM of its ordinary shares. Full details on the conditions to completion of the Transaction will be set out in the AIM Admission Document.

Further information on the PETRONAS Assets

The following information is included in accordance with the disclosure requirements of Schedule Four to The AIM Rules for Companies: As at 30 June 2022, PCNL reported unaudited total assets of US$994.0 million and net assets of US$492.0 million. For the years ended 31 December 2019-21, PCNL reported average audited profit after tax of US$130.6 million.

Further announcements will be made in due course.

For further information, please contact:

Savannah Energy	[phone]
Andrew Knott, CEO
Nick Beattie, CFO
Sally Marshak, Head of IR & Communications
Strand Hanson (Nominated Adviser)	[phone]
James Spinney
Ritchie Balmer
Rob Patrick
finnCap Ltd (Joint Broker)  Christopher Raggett Tim Redfern	[phone]
Panmure Gordon (UK) Ltd (Joint Broker)  John Prior Hugh Rich	[phone]
Camarco	[phone]
Billy Clegg Owen Roberts Violet Wilson

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR").  

About Savannah Energy:

Savannah Energy PLC is an AIM quoted British independent energy company focused around the delivery of Projects that Matter in Africa, active in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

Further information on Savannah Energy PLC can be found on the Company's website:  www.savannah-energy.com .

 

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