www.uralsenergy.com/newsdetail.asp?news_ID=6406Urals Energy Public Company Limited (“Urals Energy” or the “Company”)
2012 Half Year Results
Urals Energy (LSE: UEN), the independent exploration and production company with operations in Russia, is pleased to announce its half-year results for the six months ended 30 June 2012.
Highlights
Operational
Total production at Arcticneft increased to 128,249 barrels (H1 2011: 126,780 barrels).
Total production at Petrosakh reached 233,484 barrels (H1 2011: 249,728).
Current daily production at Arcticneft is 700 BOPD slightly down from an average of 705 BOPD for the six months ended 30 June 2012.
Current daily levels of production at Petrosakh increased to 1,395 BOPD from an average of 1,283 BOPD for the six months ended 30 June 2012.
Measures to halt natural decline at Petrosakh have stabilised production including the completion of successful workovers.
New well drilling and existing well optimisation programs in place and being implemented.
Financial
Operating results were improved by 79% reducing the operating loss to US$0.6 million from US$2.9 million loss in H1 2011.
Net working capital position improved by 69% by a net reduction of $6 million in current liabilities to US$25.9 million (H1 2011: US$35.8 million).
Net loss of US$2.0 million (net profit of US$3.6 million for H1 2011) was caused by exchange rate movements during both H1 2011 and H1 2012 as Ural’s Russian subsidiaries recognised forex gains in 2011 and forex losses in 2012 on various intracompany loans nominated in US Dollars.
Successful finalisation of cost reduction program, which resulted in 21% and 12% decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses and cost of sales respectively.
Company’s headcount decreased by 11% during the period to 507 employees.
Post-period end
Initial production testing on Well
#41 on the Petrosakh Field completed and now put into production at approximately 180 BOPD.
Renewal of the license for the Okruzhnoye field until 2037.
Release of charge over the Company’s Petrosakh assets by Petraco Oil Company Limited ("Petraco").
Restructure of Petraco repayment agreement to coincide with the shipment of the tanker from Arcticneft.
Outlook
Tanker shipment of 28,000 metric tonnes of crude oil for export from Arcticneft expected in Q4 2012.
Finish the year with repayment of the majority of the outstanding debts and further strengthening of the Company’s balance sheet.
Implement new well drilling and existing well optimisation programs for 2013.
Identify upside potential in downstream and marketing opportunities on the existing acreage.
Actively seek possible M&A and joint venture targets with a view to expanding and optimising the Company’s asset portfolio
Anticipated tax break from 2013 for companies located in the far northern territories of Russia to benefit the Company’s operations in Arcticneft
Commenting on today’s announcement, Alexei Maximov, CEO, said:
“I am pleased to report on what has been a positive period for Urals, both operationally but also in the further strengthening of our balance sheet. I reported this time last year that operationally we have been laying the foundations for maximising production from both Arcticneft and Petrosakh, and, with the various measures we have taken to stabilise production at Petrosakh, the completion and entry into production of Well
#41 at Petrosakh and the implementation of new well drilling and existing well optimisation programs we have certainly started to build upon those foundations.
The release of Petraco’s charge over Petrosakh was a pivotal point in Urals’ recovery and for the first time in many years we are now approaching a time where we anticipate we will be free of all major debtors and able to leverage on our existing asset base. This will enable us to push on with our plans to increase production at both of our assets as well as dedicate time to our M&A strategy.
Shareholders can now view the future with renewed confidence as the board anticipates the completion of the final year of recovery for Urals and the start of what it expects to be a key period of development for Urals.”
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