THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN (TOGETHER, "THIS ANNOUNCEMENT") IS
RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF
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MIGHT CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OR BREACH OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR
REGULATION.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES
NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY
SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION,
RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO SUBSCRIBE FOR,
OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES IN SAVANNAH ENERGY
PLC IN ANY JURISDICTION.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN
ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION (EU) NO 596/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
AND OF THE COUNCIL OF 16 APRIL 2014 ON MARKET ABUSE (MARKET ABUSE
REGULATION) AS RETAINED AS PART OF UK LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED.
UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE
INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN.
3 March 2025
Savannah Energy PLC
("Savannah" or "the
Company")
Operational and Financial
Update
Proposed Fundraising
Lifting of Suspension and Restoration to
Trading
Savannah Energy PLC, the British
independent energy company focused around the delivery of
Projects that
Matter, announces an intention to complete a fundraising
(the "Fundraising") by way of a subscription of new ordinary shares
of £0.001 each ("Ordinary Shares") to raise up to £30.6 million and
that the lifting of the suspension and restoration to trading on
AIM of the Company's existing Ordinary Shares will become effective
at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday 4 March 2025. The Company also provides the
following financial and operational update.
Andrew Knott, CEO of Savannah
Energy, said:
"Today we are announcing our intention to undertake a
Fundraising by way of a subscription of new Ordinary Shares. We are
also providing a comprehensive operational and financial update,
including announcing that a new US$200m hydrocarbon asset
acquisition facility has been signed. All of which is expected to
lay a strong foundation for the delivery of our 2025 - 2030 organic
and inorganic growth plans.
This is an exciting time for Savannah. Our core Nigerian
business remains extremely robust: as at end 2024 we had US$3.4bn
of contracted future revenues in our gas business with a weighted
average contract life of 13 years and a 25-year reserve and
resource life. This business has seen double-digit compound annual
Adjusted EBITDA1 and cash collections growth over the
course of the past eight years.
There are nine key focus areas in our business over the course
of the next 12 months: (1) delivering a further increase in our
rate of cash collections in Nigeria2; (2) completion of
the refinancing of our principal Nigerian debt facilities; (3)
completion of the planned acquisition of 100% of Sinopec
International Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Nigeria
Limited (the "SIPEC Acquisition"); (4) commencement of the Stubb
Creek expansion project; (5) the advancement of our Chad/Cameroon
arbitration processes3; (6) the commencement of the safe
and successful drilling of our Uquo development and exploration
wells; (7) the potential advancement of our R3 East development in
Niger4; (8) the refinement of our power sector business
model; and (9) the delivery of further transformational
acquisitions.
Given our planned activity levels this year, our capital
allocation policy remains unchanged: we intend to allocate our
excess capital to our highest risk-adjusted return investment
opportunities, assessing doing so against the potential to make
distributions to shareholders. We will continue to review our
approach to capital allocation as the business
develops.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to our
shareholders and lenders for their support, as well as to our
incredibly passionate and dedicated employees for the contributions
they have made to our Company's successes achieved to date. I look
forward to updating our shareholders as we progress on the delivery
of our focus projects throughout the year. Thank you
all."
Highlights
Funding
· Intention to complete a Fundraising by way of a subscription
of new Ordinary Shares to raise, in aggregate, approximately £30.6
million before expenses;
· US$200
million acquisition debt facility signed with energy-focused
investment company Blacksea W.L.L
("Blacksea") providing access to potential funding
for future hydrocarbon asset acquisitions5.;
and
· US$60
million reserve-based lending ("RBL") facility signed in October
2024 with The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Stanbic
IBTC Bank Limited to fund the SIPEC Acquisition, as previously
announced on 3 December 2024.
Operational
· Average gross daily production of 23.1 Kboepd for FY 2024,
broadly in line with the prior year (FY 2023: 23.6 Kboepd), of
which 88% was gas (FY 2023: 91%)6;
· Commissioning of the US$45 million compression project at the
Uquo Central Processing Facility ("CPF") is now well underway and
completion of this project is expected to enable the Company to
maintain gas production levels over the medium and
long-term;
· Three
gas contracts with customers agreed and extended in FY 2024 for a
total of up to 105 MMscfpd (17.5 Kboepd);
· Procurement process of long lead equipment progressing in
Nigeria in preparation for a potential two-well drilling campaign
on the Uquo Field in H2 2025, with an additional gas development
well expected to add up to 80 MMscfpd of supplemental production
capacity and a potential exploration well targeting an Unrisked
Gross gas initially in place ("GIIP") of 154 Bscf (25.7 MMboe) of
incremental gas resources;
· Progress continues on the planned SIPEC Acquisition with completion
anticipated in the first half of March 2025. Following completion
of the SIPEC Acquisition, we intend to commence an up to 18-month
expansion programme which is anticipated to increase Stubb Creek
Field gross production from an average of 2.7 Kbopd in 2024 to
approximately 4.7 Kbopd;
· Continuing to seek to progress the 35 MMstb (Gross 2C
Resources) R3 East oil development in South-East Niger, subject to
satisfactory stakeholder agreements being entered into;
· Up to
696 MW of renewable energy projects currently in motion, including
the up to 250 MW Parc Eolien de la Tarka wind farm project in Niger
and the up to 95 MW Bini a Warak hydroelectric project in Cameroon;
and
· Savannah is actively reviewing opportunities in both the
thermal and renewable power sectors. The Company is in the process
of refining our power sector business model and associated targets
to reflect this and expect to provide updates on this process
throughout the course of 2025.
Financial (unaudited)
· FY
2024 Total Income7 of US$393.6 million (FY 2023:
US$289.8 million), comprising Total Revenues8 of
US$258.7 million (FY 2023: US$260.9
million) and Other operating
income9 of US$134.9 million (FY 2023: US$28.9
million);
· FY
2024 record cash collections of US$248.5 million (FY2023: US$206
million). As at 31 December 2024, cash balances were
US$32.6 million (31
December 2023: US$107.0 million) and net debt stood at US$634.0
million (31 December 2023: US$473.7 million). Gross debt as at 31
December 2024 was US$666.5 million of which US$625.5 million (94%)
is non-recourse to PLC; and
· FY
2024 Total Revenues8 were ahead of the previously issued
financial guidance of 'greater than US$245 million', while FY 2024
financial guidance is reiterated for Operating expenses plus
administrative expenses10 at 'up to US$75 million'. We
expect FY 2024 capital expenditure to come in lower than planned
(previously guided at 'up to US$50 million') due to the phasing of
spend.
Investor Presentation
Webcast
An investor presentation webcast
will be held at 2:00 p.m. (GMT) on Tuesday 4 March 2025, where CEO
Andrew Knott will be presenting, as well as hosting a Q&A
session. If you are a shareholder or professional investor and wish
to register for the webcast and/or submit questions, please click
this link and complete the registration form
https://www.savannah-energy.com/investor-presentation-webcast/.
Registration must be completed and questions submitted by 11.30
a.m. on Tuesday 4 March 2025. Once registered, a link will be sent
to you via email shortly before the scheduled start time of the
webcast.
Update on Proposed South Sudan
Transaction and Restoration to Trading on AIM
Further to the Company's
announcement on 20 December 2024, the Company has continued to
progress an alternative transaction in respect of the acquisition
of the ex-PETRONAS assets in South Sudan (the "Potential
Transaction") and, as such, the Company's shares have remained
suspended from trading on AIM. The Company has now terminated
existing discussions relating to the Potential Transaction and,
therefore, the lifting of the suspension and restoration to trading
on AIM of the Company's existing Ordinary Shares is expected to
become effective at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday 4 March 2025. However, the
Company reserves the right to pursue a new version of the Potential
Transaction which would not constitute a Reverse Takeover under the
AIM Rules. The Company has held preliminary discussions with
potential counterparties relating to such a potential
variation.
Reasons for the Potential
Fundraising and Use of Proceeds
The Company is intending to conduct
a Fundraising to enable it to execute its strategy of delivering
Projects that
Matter in Africa. The Board believes that this Fundraising
is being conducted at the appropriate time and that it will enable
strategic investment in the Company by long-term growth orientated
investors. The net proceeds will be used to assist with meeting the
objectives of the Company overall, with the current intention being
to apply the proceeds as follows:
· Enable
the potential acceleration of key business development
opportunities under consideration;
· To
repay and/or acquire up to approximately US$21 million of
subsidiary company debt; and
· General corporate purposes.
The Company is aware that Andrew
Knott, Director and CEO, and Blacksea intend to participate in the
Fundraising, alongside several other participants, with a staged
share admission process to be followed based on timing of funds
received by the Company from certain of the subscribers. The
Company is also aware that there will likely be an imminent
substantial series of secondary trades in the Company's shares,
which certain directors intend to purchase shares in (the
"Secondary Sale Process"). The issue price of the new Ordinary
Shares comprising the proposed Fundraising will be equal to the
price per Ordinary Share determined in the Secondary Sale Process.
Additionally, certain directors intend to exercise share options
previously awarded to them under various share option plans.
Further details will be provided in the Company's next
announcement.
New Debt Financing
Savannah Energy Oil & Gas
Limited (the "Borrower"), a subsidiary of the Company established
to acquire interests in upstream oil and gas assets, has signed a
US$200 million debt facility with energy-focused investment company Blacksea (the "Facility")5.
The Facility is available to the
Borrower to support potential future acquisitions of oil and gas
assets and has a tenor of up to five years with quarterly
repayments commencing in February 2028. The Facility is
secured on the assets of the Borrower together with any new assets
acquired using funds drawn under the Facility. It is a condition of
utilisation of the Facility that Savannah and the lender and/or an
affiliate of the lender enter into an offtake contract in respect
of the production associated with the assets being acquired. The
loan bears interest at SOFR11 + 7%.
Valuation Update
The Company has appointed McDaniel & Associates to prepare updated
competent person's reports for the oil and gas assets of the Group.
These reports are anticipated to be finalised and published
alongside the Company's FY 2024 annual report and accounts, which
are expected to be released in early June 2025.
In the meantime, the Company has
updated its internal management estimates of the potential PV10
value (on an unrisked basis) at an asset-level basis for its
Nigeria and Niger assets. This is summarised in the following
table:
Asset
|
Last CPR Asset Value Estimate
(PV10)
|
Last CPR Asset Value Estimate
Date
|
Current Management Asset
Value Estimate12
(PV10)
|
Current Management Asset
Value Estimate Date
|
Accugas*
|
US$636
million
|
March
2024
|
US$743
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
Uquo gas*
|
US$329
million
|
March
2024
|
US$287
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
Stubb Creek - Universal
Energy
|
US$110
million
|
March
2024
|
US$91
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
Stubb Creek - SIPEC
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
US$194
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
R3 East - Niger
|
US$150
million
|
December
2021
|
US$210
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
TOTAL
|
US$1,225
million
|
|
US$1,526
million
|
1 Jan
2025
|
*Asset values based on Savannah's 80% share of Accugas and
Uquo gas.
Principal differences to the
Accugas, Uquo and Stubb Creek valuation cases relate to the
differing value estimation dates, alongside certain changes to
operational work programme assumptions and cost structure.
The R3 East development plan has been
comprehensively re-worked since the last published Niger CPR of
December 2021, with a plateau production rate of around 10 Kbopd
now assumed (previously 5 Kbopd)13.
Operational update
Hydrocarbons Division
Nigeria
Existing Business
Average gross daily production was
23.1 Kboepd for FY 2024, broadly in line with the prior year (FY
2023: 23.6 Kboepd), of which 88% was gas (FY 2023:
91%)5;
Commissioning of the US$45 million
compression project at the Uquo CPF is now well underway and
completion of this project will enable us to maintain our gas
production levels over the medium and long-term.
We are currently progressing the
procurement process of long lead equipment in Nigeria in
preparation for a potential two-well drilling campaign on the Uquo
Field in H2 2025. The Uquo NE well ("Uquo NE"), is forecast to
provide gas volumes of 60-80 MMscfpd to supplement the production
capacity of our current Uquo well stock. An additional exploration
well in the Uquo field ("Uquo South") is also currently under
consideration, which may be drilled back-to-back with the Uquo NE
well. Uquo South is a well targeting an Unrisked Gross GIIP of 154
Bscf of incremental prospective gas resources on the Uquo licence
area.
Conversion
of Uquo Marginal Field and Stubb Creek Marginal Field to New
20-Year Petroleum Mining Leases
The Uquo Marginal Field and the
Stubb Creek Marginal Field have been converted to new 20-year
Petroleum Mining Leases, both effective 1 December 2023, in
accordance with the Republic of Nigeria's Petroleum Industry Act
2021.
Niger
We are continuing to seek to
progress the 35 MMstb (Gross 2C Resources) R3 East oil development
in South-East Niger. The Niger-Benin oil export pipeline, now fully
operational, provides a potential route to international markets
for crude oil produced from the R1234 contract area of our
subsidiary, Savannah Energy Niger SA, with 90 Kbopd reportedly
being transported from the China National Petroleum
Corporation-operated Agadem PSC area.
Subject to satisfactory stakeholder
agreements being entered into, Savannah Energy Niger SA may
commence a four-well testing programme on the Amdigh-1, Eridal-1,
Bushiya-1 and Kunama-1 discovery wells in 2025, with certain of the
required long lead item equipment having already arrived in
country. We are at the pre-contract award stage of the programme
and our initial internal estimate of the total cost of the well
test programme is approximately US$14.5 million (this will be
subject to change as programme progresses and contracts are
awarded). Assuming a successful well test programme, we would look
to accelerate plans to commence commercial oil production from the
R3 East Area and intend to incorporate the data acquired into our
field development plan.
Power Division
In 2025 we expect to further refine
our Power Division business model, the remit of which has now been
expanded to include thermal as well as renewable energy projects.
We continue to progress our existing portfolio of up to 696 MW of
wind, solar and hydroelectric projects, with our principal focus
projects being on the up to 250 MW Parc
Eolien de la Tarka project in Niger and the up to 95 MW Bini a
Warak hybrid hydroelectric and solar project in Cameroon.
As a highly indicative rule of
thumb, Savannah believes that African renewable energy projects
generate un-risked NPV10s of up to US$0.5 million per MW (wind) /
up to US$1.8 million per MW (hydro) / up to US$0.3 million per MW
(solar) of nominal capacity at the time of commencement of
operation. It should also be noted that it is not expected that all
of the projects currently being progressed in the
portfolio funnel will reach financial close. However, our
project funnel should be viewed as dynamic, and we would expect to
replace projects which do not progress to financial close with
other new projects in an organic manner over time.
FY 2024 Unaudited Financial
Review
The Group
has performed in line with expectations.
Highlights
FY 2024 Total Income6 was
US$393.6 million (FY 2023: US$289.8 million), comprising Total
Revenues7 of US$258.7 million (FY 2023: US$260.9
million) and Other operating income of US$134.9 million9
(FY 2023: US$28.9 million).
FY 2024 cash collections were a
record US$248.5 million (FY 2023: US$206.0 million). As at 31
December 2024, cash balances were US$32.6 million (31 December
2023: US$107.0 million) and net debt stood at US$634.0 million (31
December 2023: US$473.7 million). It should be noted that only 6%
of outstanding debt as at 31 December 2024 is recourse to Savannah,
with the balance sitting within subsidiary companies on a
non-recourse basis. The Trade Receivables balance at year-end 2024
was US$538.9 million (31 December 2023: US$389.9 million) and this
relates primarily to amounts due under various gas sales agreements
in Nigeria.
Debt
Facilities
In January 2024, a new NGN 340
billion four year-term facility was signed by Accugas with a
consortium of five Nigerian banks (the "Transitional Facility"). As
at 31 December 2024, NGN 332 billion of this facility had been
drawn down, with the resulting funds being converted to US$, which,
along with cash held, was used to partially prepay the existing
Accugas US$ Facility, leaving a balance as at 31 December 2024 of
approximately US$212.3 million.
As contemplated in the Transitional
Facility agreement, we have requested an increase in the facility
to enable the remaining outstanding US$ balance to be converted
into Naira, allowing the remainder of the Accugas US$ Facility to
be fully repaid within H1 2025. This process, when complete, will
align Accugas' debt facility with the currency in which gas
revenues are received.
Arbitration Update
As previously disclosed in
Savannah's 2023 Annual Report, our wholly owned subsidiary,
Savannah Chad Inc ("SCI"), commenced arbitral proceedings in 2023
against the Government of the Republic of Chad and its
instrumentalities in response to the March 2023 nationalisation of
SCI's rights in the Doba fields in Chad, and other breaches of
SCI's rights. Another wholly owned subsidiary, Savannah Midstream
Investment Limited ("SMIL"), commenced arbitral proceedings in 2023
in relation to the nationalisation of its investment in Tchad Oil
Transportation Company, the Chadian company which owns and operates
the section of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline located in Chad. SMIL has
also commenced arbitral and other legal proceedings for breaches of
SMIL's rights in relation to Cameroon Oil Transportation Company
("COTCo"), the Cameroon company which owns and operates the section
of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline located in Cameroon. We currently
expect these arbitral proceedings to be concluded no later than the
first half of 2026.
SCI and SMIL are claiming in excess
of US$775 million (plus interest which is currently estimated at in
excess of US$140million and costs) for the nationalisation of their
rights and assets in Chad14. SMIL has a claim valued at
approximately US$380 million (plus interest which is currently
estimated at in excess of US$40 million and costs) for breaches of
its rights in relation to COTCo15. Whilst the Government
of the Republic of Chad has acknowledged SCI's and SMIL's right to
compensation, no compensation has been paid or announced by the
Government of the Republic of Chad to date. Savannah remains ready
and willing to discuss with the Government of the Republic of Chad
an amicable solution to the disputes. However, in the absence of
such discussions, the Group intends to vigorously pursue its rights
in the arbitrations.
SCI is involved in further arbitral
proceedings in which designates of Société des Hydrocarbures du
Tchad allege breaches by SCI of the Doba fields joint operating
agreement16. SCI is defending the claims
vigorously. We currently expect these arbitral proceedings to
be concluded no later than Q3 2026.
Business Development
Nigeria
Proposed SIPEC Acquisition
In March 2024, we announced the
proposed acquisition (via two separate transactions) of 100% of
Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Company
Nigeria Limited ("SIPEC") for a total consideration of US$61.5
million. SIPEC's principal asset is the 49% non-operated interest
in Stubb Creek. A subsidiary of Savannah, Universal Energy
Resources Limited, is the 51% owner and operator. All regulatory
consents for the SIPEC Acquisition have been obtained, including
consent from the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources,
which is conditional upon payment of ministerial consent and
processing fees and other usual conditions for a transaction of
this nature. Completion is anticipated in the first half of March
2025.
The SIPEC Acquisition will be funded
from the US$60 million RBL Facility provided by The Standard Bank
of South Africa Limited and Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited. The
availability under the RBL Facility is US$60 million.
As at year end 2023, SIPEC had an
estimated 8.1 MMstb of 2P oil reserves and 227 Bscf of 2C
Contingent gas resources. Following completion of the SIPEC
Acquisition, Savannah's reserve and resource base is, therefore,
expected to increase by approximately 46 MMboe from 158 MMboe to
204 MMboe (on a pro-forma basis as at 1 January 2024).
Following completion of the SIPEC
Acquisition, we plan an up to 18-month expansion programme to
increase the processing capacity of the Stubb Creek facilities. It
is anticipated that this will lead to Stubb Creek gross production
increasing from an average of 2.7 Kbopd in 2024 to approximately
4.7 Kbopd. Importantly, the SIPEC Acquisition also secures
significant additional feedstock gas available for sale to our
Accugas subsidiary.
AIIM
Assets
Savannah has held discussions with
its private equity partner Africa Infrastructure Investment
Partners ("AIIM") in relation to Savannah potentially acquiring
AIIM's 20% interest in the Accugas and SEUGL businesses. This
discussion is based on the formula originally negotiated with them
at the time of the initial acquisition and detailed in the
respective shareholder agreements. The parties have agreed to make
a decision in relation to any such transaction in March 2025. It is
currently both Savannah and AIIM's view that a transaction is
unlikely to be agreed based on the formula17. AIIM
would, therefore, continue to be an active partner in the Accugas
and SEUGL businesses going forward.
Future
M&A Activity
The Company continues to view
M&A as a core source of potential future value creation for the
business. Savannah takes a long-term approach to business
development, which we believe is critical given the industry and
jurisdictions in which we operate. M&A deals, particularly for
energy assets, can frequently take more than four years from
initial discussion to a successful conclusion, with only a small
percentage of initial conversations resulting in a completed deal.
Strategically, the Board and management team of Savannah,
therefore, believe that it is critical to maintain a funnelled
approach to business development, pursuing a large portfolio of
potential deal opportunities in parallel, which are progressed
through the deal maturation cycle and systematically evaluated
based upon the deal's structure and risk adjusted returns, as well
as the fit with the Company's execution capacity.
The African energy sector offers
attractive M&A market dynamics, with, for example, large
divestment programmes planned by major and national oil companies
in the hydrocarbons sector and by private equity firms in the power
sector. Active portfolio management through M&A and divestment
transactions shift assets to those owners best positioned to
maximise their value at that stage of the asset life cycle.
Savannah is a potential partner of choice in these deals, given our
strong regional relationships, operational experience, access to
financing, and more efficient operational costs and corporate
structure.
Throughout 2023 and 2024, Savannah's
shares remained suspended from trading on AIM in accordance with
AIM Rule 14, as we pursued an acquisition that would have
constituted a reverse takeover. We believe that such transactions
can act as critical enablers of value accretive growth for
ambitious high growth companies such as Savannah and should,
therefore, be actively encouraged by the regulatory regime.
However, the risk of potentially lengthy share suspension periods
can act as a disincentive for companies to pursue such
transactions. In our view consideration should, therefore, be given
to potential amendments to the rules governing reverse takeovers,
particularly in respect of suspension requirements, with a view to
enhancing the AIM market's attractiveness as a growth-focused
exchange, while maintaining a suitable level of investor
protection. This position is consistent with the UK Government's
well publicised pro-business growth agenda. Savannah intends to
work with our advisers and other stakeholders to encourage the
relevant decision makers to consider potential changes
accordingly.
For further information, please refer
to the Company's website www.savannah-energy.com or
contact:
Savannah Energy
+44 (0) 20 3817 9844
Andrew Knott, CEO
Nick Beattie, CFO
Sally Marshak, Head of IR &
Communications
Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated
Adviser)
+44 (0) 20 7409 3494
James Spinney
Ritchie Balmer
Rob Patrick
Tennyson Securities (Financial
Adviser)
+44 (0) 20 7186 9033
Peter Krens
Cavendish Capital Markets Ltd (Joint
Broker)
+44 (0) 20 7220 0500
Derrick Lee
Tim Redfern
Panmure Liberum Limited (Joint
Broker)
+44 (0) 20 3100 2000
Scott Mathieson
James Sinclair-Ford
Camarco
+44 (0) 20 3757 4983
Billy Clegg
Owen Roberts
Violet Wilson
Dr Christophe Ribeiro, Savannah's VP
Technical, has approved the technical disclosure in this regulatory
announcement in his capacity as a qualified person under the AIM
Rules. Dr Ribeiro is a qualified petroleum engineer with over 20
years' experience in the oil and gas industry. He holds an MSc in
Geophysics from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and an
MSc in Petroleum Engineering and a PhD in Reservoir Geophysics from
Heriot-Watt University. Dr Ribeiro is a member of the European
Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE) and Society of
Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
About
Savannah:
Savannah Energy PLC is a British
independent energy company focused around the delivery of
Projects that
Matter in Africa.
About Blacksea W.L.L
Blacksea W.L.L ("Blacksea") was
established as an investment and trading vehicle of two leading
global commodity trading groups in 2014 (Vitol Bahrain and Maddox
DMCC). Blacksea was bought out by Maddox DMCC in 2019 and was
then the subject of a management buy-out in 2024. Today, Blacksea
is a well-capitalised investment company seeking to provide
long-term capital to high growth companies in the upstream oil and
gas sector with whom long-term commodities trading relationships
can be developed.
Forward-looking
statements
This announcement contains statements that constitute
forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions, including
statements relating to business, financial condition and results of
operations of Savannah. All statements regarding the future
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and various
factors could cause actual future results, performance or events to
differ materially from those described or implied in these
statements. Further, certain forward-looking statements are
based upon assumptions of future events which may not prove to be
accurate, and Savannah does not accept any responsibility for the
accuracy of the opinions expressed in this announcement or the
underlying assumptions. The forward-looking statements in
this announcement speak only as at the date of this announcement
and Savannah and its affiliates expressly disclaim any obligation
or undertaking to review or release any updates or revisions to
these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in
Savannah's expectations with regard thereto or any change in
events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based
after the date of this announcement or to update or to keep current
any other information contained in this announcement or to provide
any additional information in relation to such forward-looking
statements, unless required to do so by applicable
law.
Footnotes
1. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as profit or loss (excluding
Other operating income), before finance costs, investment revenue,
foreign exchange gains or loss, expected credit loss and other
related adjustments, fair value adjustments, gain on acquisition,
share-based payments, taxes, transaction costs, depreciation,
depletion and amortisation and adjusted to include deferred revenue
and other invoiced amounts. Management believes that the
alternative performance measure of Adjusted EBITDA more accurately
reflects the cash-generating capacity of the business.
2. Internal management estimates assume an increase in the rate
of cash collections in relation to historical receivables, an
average oil price of US$65.88 per barrel for 2025 and US$67.52 for
2026, completion of the SIPEC Acquisition and the receipt of legacy
payments in Nigeria.
3. As previously disclosed in Savannah's 2023 Annual Report, our
wholly owned subsidiary, Savannah Chad Inc ("SCI"), commenced
arbitral proceedings in 2023 against the Government of the Republic
of Chad and its instrumentalities in response to the March 2023
nationalisation of SCI's rights in the Doba fields in Chad, and
other breaches of SCI's rights. Another wholly owned subsidiary,
Savannah Midstream Investment Limited ("SMIL"), commenced arbitral
proceedings in 2023 in relation to the nationalisation of its
investment in Tchad Oil Transportation Company, the Chadian company
which owns and operates the section of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline
located in Chad. SMIL has also commenced arbitral and other legal
proceedings for breaches of SMIL's rights in relation to Cameroon
Oil Transportation Company ("COTCo"), the Cameroon company which
owns and operates the section of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline located
in Cameroon. We expect these arbitral proceedings to be concluded
no later than the first half of 2026.
4. Subject to satisfactory stakeholder agreements being entered
into.
5. This facility is subject to the completion of the proposed
Fundraising.
6. Note that gas production levels are largely driven by customer
nomination levels, while cash collections are largely driven by
contractual maintenance adjusted take-or-pay provisions of 117
MMscfpd in aggregate.
7. Total Income is calculated as Total Revenues2 plus
Other operating income.
8. Total Revenues are defined as the total amount of invoiced
sales during the period. This number is seen by management as more
accurately reflecting the underlying cash generation capacity of
the business as opposed to Revenue recognised in the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income.
9. Other operating income primarily relates to the re-billing of
foreign exchange losses incurred through the conversion of Naira
paid invoices into US dollars.
10. Group operating expenses plus administrative expenses are
defined as total cost of sales, administrative and other operating
expenses, excluding gas purchases, royalties, depletion,
depreciation and amortisation and transaction costs.
11. Secured Overnight Financing Rate.
12. Please note that these are internal management estimates only
which have not been audited. Whilst they have been prepared using
reasonable care, they remain subject to change at any
time.
13. Management estimate as at 1 January 2025 based on R3 East
development with peak production of 10 Kbopd vs. 5 Kbopd in CGG CPR
(2021).
14. The Republic of Chad has filed certain
counterclaims in these proceedings, claiming in aggregate
approximately US$666.6 million (without interest and
costs). SCI and SMIL believe these counterclaims are baseless
and without merit.
15. The Republic of Chad, SHT Overseas Petroleum (Cameroon)
Limited (SHT), COTCo and certain other shareholders of COTCo have
filed counterclaims in these proceedings, claiming in aggregate
approximately US$58.7 million (without interest and costs). SMIL
believes these claims are baseless and without merit.
16. The designates of Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad are claiming
approximately US$160.5 million (without interest and costs). SCI
believes the claims are baseless and without merit.
17. The formula is significantly driven by Savannah's share price.
AIIM's position is driven by its view of Savannah's share
price.