CALGARY, ALBERTA — (Marketwire) — 08/29/12 — Mart Resources, Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MMT) (“Mart” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 (“Q212”) (all amounts in Canadian dollars unless noted):
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS
The following table provides a summary of Mart–s selected financial and operating results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 and the twelve months ended December 31, 2011:
DISCUSSION ON Q212 RESULTS:
Production in the second quarter of 2012 remained steady and there were no unusual shutdowns of the pipeline or production facilities. There were three liftings of oil from the Umusadege field in Q212 of which two liftings for a total of 950,000 bbls occurred in June and were for a substantially lower price than obtained from sales in Q112. Despite normal operations, there were several factors that reduced Mart–s net income and funds flow from operations in the second quarter, although on a six month basis both net income and funds flow from production operations are higher in 2012 than for the comparable period in 2011. At the end of the first quarter, Mart was in an under lift position of 373,552 bbls, the receivable of which had been recorded at the oil price in effect at March 31, 2012. Under lift oil is oil that had been produced and delivered in the first quarter of 2012 but had not yet been nominated and paid for. The realized sales price per bbl for the under lift oil was lower than the amount recorded at March 31, 2012 due to lower oil prices in the second quarter. The price of oil on March 31, 2012 was USD $124.48 per bbl, but the price at which the under lift oil was realized was at the price of the June, 2012 liftings, which averaged USD $96.94 per bbl. This issue, related to the timing of payment for the Q112 under lift and the significant decrease in price between March 31, 2012 and the liftings in June, 2012, had the effect of reducing Mart–s stated net income in Q212 by approximately USD $10.3 million.
Mart–s net income and funds flow from operations were lower in Q212 because Mart–s share of production in the second quarter as compared to the share of its co-venturers, dropped to an average of 52%. Mart–s share under its agreement with its co-venturers varies from 50% to 82.5% of production. In the second quarter Mart–s share was only 52% (compared to 68% in Q211 and 82.5%% in Q112) primarily because there was limited drilling activity in Q212 and the drilling costs related to each well in the Umusadege field are recovered relatively quickly. Mart and its co-venturers commenced drilling the UMU-10 well on July 4, 2012.
Finally, AGIP, as pipeline owner, estimated that losses of oil delivered through its pipeline were, during Q212, at a level considerably higher than previous estimates. Mart and its co-venturers bear their proportionate share of line losses, but these line losses are determined by the pipeline operator. For oil delivered in the second quarter, the pipeline owner attributed losses of oil delivered through the AGIP pipeline at approximately 18%. Mart and its co-venturers are working to obtain additional information including assessing the accuracy of volume reconciliations, as well as the accuracy of the metering and reporting processes. However, Mart and its co-venturers rely on the pipeline operator to provide this information. Mart has been informed that the line losses for July are approximately 10%, which is higher than Mart and its co-venturers generally expect, but could indicate that losses in Q212 were anomalous. The significance of these line losses underscore the importance to Mart and its co-venturers continuing to advance the construction of a new pipeline for delivery of the oil produced from Umusadege.
DECLARATION OF DIVIDEND:
Mart is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. The dividend will be payable on October 2, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 14, 2012. The ex-dividend date is September 12, 2012.
Pursuant to the Company–s dividend policy, the declaration of regular quarterly dividends is determined quarterly based on Mart–s cash flows, capital expenditure budgets, earnings, financial condition and other factors as the Board of Directors may consider appropriate from time to time.
OUTLOOK AND OPERATIONS UPDATE:
Although net income and funds flow from operations were lower in Q212 relative to Q112, production remains strong to date in the third quarter and oil prices have recovered from the second quarter lows. Mart–s net income and funds flow from operations are higher in the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.
Subsequent to June 30, 2012, Mart has collected $41.6 million of its accounts receivable and other receivables related to oil sales from the Umusadege field.
The UMU-10 well commenced drilling on July 4, 2012. The well is currently at a depth of approximately 7,688 feet. It is anticipated that the UMU-10 well will reach its targeted total depth of approximately 9,700 feet before the middle of September 2012. The primary objectives of the UMU-10 well will be the oil-bearing sands identified in the 8 1/2 inch deviated hole section of the UMU-9 well.
Umusadege field production during the month of July 2012 averaged 12,852 bopd. Umusadege field downtime during July 2012 was less than one day. The average field production based on producing days was 13,281 bopd. Average daily production in July 2012 was higher than in June 2012 due to lower downtime during July and increased export pipeline capacity allocated to the Umusadege field. Total crude oil deliveries into the export storage tanks from the Umusadege field for the month of July, adjusted for estimated pipeline losses, were approximately 358,500 bbls. AGIP has reported approximately 40,000 bbls of pipeline losses during the month of July, 2012 or approximately 10%.
The pipeline losses experienced in Q212 and to date in Q312 are higher than previous periods. Mart and its co-venturers have initiated a plan to determine the accuracy of the AGIP reported pipeline losses. The plan includes, but is not limited to, assessing the accuracy of the volume reconciliations, metering accuracy, and reporting processes. The completion of the plan is dependent upon AGIP providing this information to Mart and its co-venturers.
Mart and its co-venturers are continuing discussions with an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, (“Shell”) on a crude handling agreement that will provide a second independent export pipeline for Umusadege field production. Once all agreements are completed Mart and its co-venturers will gain access to Shell–s export facilities and a 50 kilometer pipeline will be constructed. Construction of the pipeline connecting the Umusadege field to Shell–s export facilities is expected to be completed and in service in less than one year.
CHAIRMAN–S COMMENT:
Wade Cherwayko, Chairman & CEO of Mart said, “Mart has experienced strong financial and operating results through the first six months of 2012 with $40.6 million of net income year to date, which amounts to $0.12 per share. This reflects the ongoing growth of the Umusadege field–s production capacity, and the Company continues to work towards maximizing production and efficiency. Significant steps have been taken towards building an additional export pipeline to enable us to exploit the potential of the Umusadege field. Net income for the second quarter of 2012 was down compared to the first quarter as a result of lower oil prices, the effects of the drop in oil prices quarter to quarter, and a reduction in Mart–s share of proceeds from oil sales at the Umusadege field. Mart and its co-venturers continue to have strong production at the Umusadege field with 520,000 bbls nominated and delivered thus far for Q312. We were very pleased to have been able to pay the declared $0.10 per share dividend to shareholders in early August, and to now declare a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share in accordance with our dividend policy.”
Mart–s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, and the accompanying Management–s Discussion and Analysis are available on the company–s website at and under the Company–s profile on SEDAR at .
INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Investors are also welcome to contact one of the following investor relations specialists for all corporate updates and investor inquiries:
FronTier Consulting Ltd.
Mart toll free # 1-888-875-7485
Attn: Sam Grier
Timea Carlsen
Email:
Note: Except where expressly stated otherwise, all production figures set out in this press release, including bopd, reflect gross Umusadege field production rather than production attributable to Mart. Mart–s share of total gross production before taxes and royalties from the Umusadege field fluctuates between 82.5% (before capital cost recovery) and 50% (after capital cost recovery).
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” as such term is used in applicable Canadian and US securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as “forward-looking statements”. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based upon forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
In particular, statements (express or implied) contained herein or in Mart–s MD&A regarding the following should be considered forward-looking statements: the Company–s goals and growth strategy, estimates of reserves and future net revenues, exploration and development activities in respect of the Umusadege field, the Company–s ability to finance its drilling and development plans with cash flows from operations, the ability of the Company to successfully drill and complete future wells, the ability of the Company to commercially produce, transport and sell oil from the Umusadege field, future anticipated production rates, export pipeline capacity available to the Company, the expectation of the Company that production and export pipeline disruptions will not have a lasting impact on the Company–s future production, timing of completion of the Company–s upgrading of the central production facility, the construction and completion of an alternative export pipeline, the acceptance of the Company–s tax filings by the Nigerian taxing authorities, treatment under government regulatory regimes including royalty and tax laws, projections of market prices and costs, supply and demand for oil, timing for receipt of government approvals, and the ability of the Company to satisfy its current and future financial obligations to its banks and other creditors. In addition, Mart cannot predict the extent of any pipeline losses that may occur and be borne by Mart in the future, and the effect these will have on net income and cash flow. There is no assurance that future dividends will be declared or the timing or amount of any future dividend. The payments of dividends or distributions in the future are dependent on the Company–s cash flow, capital expenditure budgets, earnings, financial condition, the satisfaction of the applicable solvency test in the Company–s governing statute (the Business Corporations Act (Alberta)), and such other factors as the Board of Directors may consider appropriate from time to time. Mart–s ability to continue to pay dividends is subject to many factors including falling commodity prices, repatriation restrictions, disruptions or reductions in production or collection of receivables following sales of production. Dividend payments to shareholders will be subject to applicable statutory deductions and tax withholdings prescribed by applicable law.
There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release. This cautionary statement expressly qualifies the forward-looking statements contained herein.
Forward-looking statements are made based on management–s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements and if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE RELEASE.
Contacts:
Mart Resources, Inc.
London, England office
Wade Cherwayko
# +44 207 351 7937