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DNO announces Oil and Gas Discovery

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced issuance of a notice of discovery to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq on the Baeshiqa-2 exploration well, in accordance with the requirements of the Production Sharing Contract, after flowing hydrocarbons to surface from the upper part of Triassic Kurra Chine B reservoir.

Following acid stimulation, the zone flowed variable rates of light oil and sour gas. Further testing of this and other Jurassic and Triassic zones is ongoing and will determine the next steps towards appraisal and assessment of commerciality.

The Baeshiqa-2 well was spud in February 2019 and drilled to a total depth of 3,204 meters (2,549 meters TVDSS).

DNO acquired a 32 percent interest and operatorship of the Baeshiqa license in 2017. Partners include ExxonMobil with 32 percent, Turkish Energy Company (TEC) with 16 percent and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) with 20 percent.

(Source: DNO)

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DNO announces Oil and Gas Discovery

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced issuance of a notice of discovery to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq on the Baeshiqa-2 exploration well, in accordance with the requirements of the Production Sharing Contract, after flowing hydrocarbons to surface from the upper part of Triassic Kurra Chine B reservoir.

Following acid stimulation, the zone flowed variable rates of light oil and sour gas. Further testing of this and other Jurassic and Triassic zones is ongoing and will determine the next steps towards appraisal and assessment of commerciality.

The Baeshiqa-2 well was spud in February 2019 and drilled to a total depth of 3,204 meters (2,549 meters TVDSS).

DNO acquired a 32 percent interest and operatorship of the Baeshiqa license in 2017. Partners include ExxonMobil with 32 percent, Turkish Energy Company (TEC) with 16 percent and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) with 20 percent.

(Source: DNO)

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DNO Shares Down 7.5%

By John Lee.

Shares in DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, were trading down 7.5 percent on Thursday morning, after the company reported a net loss for the third quarter.

The company reported what it described as strong third quarter revenues of USD 227 million, up 33 percent from a year earlier, on the back of solid production averaging 99,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) on a Company Working Interest (CWI) basis, up 22 percent year on year.

In its statement, the company added:

Notwithstanding strong underlying performance, 2019 third quarter results were impacted by non-recurring items as well as lower oil prices and higher exploration expenses, resulting in a net loss of USD 96 million.

In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, third quarter production at the Tawke license containing the DNO-operated Tawke and Peshkabir fields (shared 75-25 with partner Genel Energy plc) averaged 119,800 barrels of oil per day (bopd). The Company expects to exit the year with Tawke license production averaging 120,000 bopd and to maintain this rate into 2020. The Company recently reached a significant milestone of 300 million barrels of cumulative oil production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields.

Activity remains high as the Company continues to deliver its largest drilling campaign in its 48-year history with some 36 wells in 2019, of which 22 are development/infill wells and 14 exploration/appraisal wells. DNO projects full-year operational spend of USD 620 million (post-tax), of which USD 454 million was spent through the end of the third quarter, including USD 244 million in Kurdistan and USD 210 million (post-tax) in the North Sea.

Financial results were impacted by impairment charges of USD 138 million, including USD 89 million for technical goodwill on the Brasse discovery (Norway) and USD 33 million for decommissioning of the Schooner and Ketch fields (United Kingdom).

With USD 228 million in cash from operations during the third quarter, the Company resumed its share buyback program and acquired 23 million shares at a cost of USD 35 million, lifting its overall stake to 58 million treasury shares, representing 5.35 percent of the total outstanding shares at end quarter. DNO also bought back an additional USD 17 million of FAPE01 bonds during the quarter.

DNO maintained its previously approved dividend distribution program with another semi-annual payment of NOK 0.20 per share to be made on 4 November 2019.

“We continue to deliver across a range of operating and financial targets even as we paused this quarter for early spring cleaning of our balance sheet,” said DNO’s Executive Chairman Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani. “Given global headwinds, we are budgeting at the low end of the industry’s Brent price range of USD 60-70 per barrel,” he added.

CWI production during the third quarter included 84,400 bopd from Kurdistan and 14,900 boepd from North Sea assets acquired earlier this year.

In 2019, nine wells were spud in Kurdistan through the end of the third quarter, with an additional ten wells planned for the fourth quarter. In the North Sea, 13 wells were spud through the end of the quarter, with an additional four wells planned for the fourth quarter, including DNO’s first operated exploration well, Canela, in the North Sea since 2007.

DNO exited the third quarter with a cash balance of USD 624 million in addition to USD 110 million in treasury shares and marketable securities.

(Source: DNO)

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DNO Shares Down 7.5%

By John Lee.

Shares in DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, were trading down 7.5 percent on Thursday morning, after the company reported a net loss for the third quarter.

The company reported what it described as strong third quarter revenues of USD 227 million, up 33 percent from a year earlier, on the back of solid production averaging 99,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) on a Company Working Interest (CWI) basis, up 22 percent year on year.

In its statement, the company added:

Notwithstanding strong underlying performance, 2019 third quarter results were impacted by non-recurring items as well as lower oil prices and higher exploration expenses, resulting in a net loss of USD 96 million.

In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, third quarter production at the Tawke license containing the DNO-operated Tawke and Peshkabir fields (shared 75-25 with partner Genel Energy plc) averaged 119,800 barrels of oil per day (bopd). The Company expects to exit the year with Tawke license production averaging 120,000 bopd and to maintain this rate into 2020. The Company recently reached a significant milestone of 300 million barrels of cumulative oil production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields.

Activity remains high as the Company continues to deliver its largest drilling campaign in its 48-year history with some 36 wells in 2019, of which 22 are development/infill wells and 14 exploration/appraisal wells. DNO projects full-year operational spend of USD 620 million (post-tax), of which USD 454 million was spent through the end of the third quarter, including USD 244 million in Kurdistan and USD 210 million (post-tax) in the North Sea.

Financial results were impacted by impairment charges of USD 138 million, including USD 89 million for technical goodwill on the Brasse discovery (Norway) and USD 33 million for decommissioning of the Schooner and Ketch fields (United Kingdom).

With USD 228 million in cash from operations during the third quarter, the Company resumed its share buyback program and acquired 23 million shares at a cost of USD 35 million, lifting its overall stake to 58 million treasury shares, representing 5.35 percent of the total outstanding shares at end quarter. DNO also bought back an additional USD 17 million of FAPE01 bonds during the quarter.

DNO maintained its previously approved dividend distribution program with another semi-annual payment of NOK 0.20 per share to be made on 4 November 2019.

“We continue to deliver across a range of operating and financial targets even as we paused this quarter for early spring cleaning of our balance sheet,” said DNO’s Executive Chairman Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani. “Given global headwinds, we are budgeting at the low end of the industry’s Brent price range of USD 60-70 per barrel,” he added.

CWI production during the third quarter included 84,400 bopd from Kurdistan and 14,900 boepd from North Sea assets acquired earlier this year.

In 2019, nine wells were spud in Kurdistan through the end of the third quarter, with an additional ten wells planned for the fourth quarter. In the North Sea, 13 wells were spud through the end of the quarter, with an additional four wells planned for the fourth quarter, including DNO’s first operated exploration well, Canela, in the North Sea since 2007.

DNO exited the third quarter with a cash balance of USD 624 million in addition to USD 110 million in treasury shares and marketable securities.

(Source: DNO)

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Production at Tawke and Peshkabir up 20%

By John Lee.

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced what it described as solid first half 2019 financial and operating results as the company continued to deliver the largest drilling program in its 48-year history:

“H1 2019 revenue totalled USD 470 million, up 62 percent from the same period last year, while net profit doubled to USD 119 million.

“DNO’s Company Working Interest (CWI) production averaged 107,100 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in H1 2019, up 39 percent from H1 2018, reflecting strong contributions from its fields in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (89,300 barrels of oil per day or bopd) as well as from its recently acquired North Sea assets (17,800 boepd).

“In Kurdistan, H1 2019 gross production at the Tawke license containing the DNO-operated Tawke and Peshkabir fields (shared 75-25 with Genel Energy plc) averaged 126,700 bopd, up 20 percent from H1 2018. In H1 2019, Tawke contributed 71,700 bopd and Peshkabir 55,000 bopd.

“Some 36 wells are planned in 2019 of which 23 are development/infill wells and 13 exploration/appraisal wells. DNO projects full-year operational spend of USD 680 million, split evenly between its core areas in Kurdistan and the North Sea.

“In addition to 15 wells spud in the first half of the year across the portfolio, plans for the second half include 12 wells at Tawke and three at Peshkabir, now the second largest operated field by an international oil company in Kurdistan after Tawke. Also in Kurdistan, two wells have been drilled and completed in the DNO-operated Baeshiqa license with the deeper well to be tested beginning in August.

“Elsewhere, the Company continues to pursue an active North Sea strategy with plans to drill six more wells in the second half of the year in addition to the nine spud in the first half. Also, DNO was recently awarded as operator two new exploration licences in the United Kingdom.

“DNO exited the second quarter with a cash balance of USD 574 million in addition to USD 94 million in treasury shares and marketable securities.“

(Source: DNO)

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DNO Completes $400m Bond Placement

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, has completed the private placement of USD 400 million of new, five-year senior unsecured bonds with a coupon rate of 8.375 percent.

The bond placement received strong investor demand across international markets and was oversubscribed.

The bond issue is expected to be settled on or about 29 May 2019, subject to customary conditions precedent.

An application will be made for the bonds to be listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. In connection with the bond placement, the Company has agreed to buy back USD 60 million in nominal value of DNO01 bonds (ISIN NO 0010740392) at 104.16 percent of par plus accrued interest and USD 10 million in nominal value of FAPE01 bonds originally issued by Faroe Petroleum plc in 2017 (ISIN NO 0010811268) at 107.50 percent of par plus accrued interest.

In addition to partial refinancing of the DNO01 and FAPE01 bonds, net proceeds from the new bond issue will be used for general corporate purposes.

Danske Bank and Pareto Securities AS acted as joint lead managers and bookrunners with SpareBank 1 Markets AS as co-manager and bookrunner.

(Source: DNO)

(Picture: Bonds, from Alexskopje/Shutterstock)

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Peshkabir has generated $1bn, 4x Total Spend

DNO, as operator of the Tawke field in Iraqi Kurdistan, has today issued an update on licence activity.

Gross production from the Tawke licence, containing the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, averaged 126,759 bopd during the first quarter of 2019.

Tawke production currently averages c.73,000 bopd, and Peshkabir c.54,000 bopd. There is an active 2019 drilling campaign underway at the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, with a total of up to four Peshkabir wells and up to 14 Tawke wells.

The Peshkabir-9 well was completed and placed on production during the first quarter. The Peshkabir-10 well was spud in February and will come onstream shortly. The Peshkabir-11 well will spud later this month. Peshkabir production averaged 53,830 bopd during the first quarter.

Peshkabir has now generated $1 billion in gross revenue, or four times the total spend to date.

At the Tawke field, the Tawke-52 Cretaceous well was completed and placed on production during the quarter. The Tawke-54 Cretaceous well was spud in February and came onstream in mid-April, and the Tawke-55 Cretaceous well spud in April. Tawke field production averaged 72,929 bopd during the first quarter.

(Source: Genel Energy)

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DNO to spend $250m in Kurdistan this year

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today reported USD 35 million in first quarter 2019 operating revenues from its newly acquired North Sea assets, bringing the total quarterly figure across the portfolio to USD 204 million.

The Company generated a net profit of USD 51 million and exited the quarter with a cash balance of USD 254 million plus USD 109 million in treasury shares and marketable securities.

Company Working Interest (CWI) production averaged 107,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) during the first quarter, up 36 percent from 79,100 boepd in the first quarter of 2018. Kurdistan contributed 89,400 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and the North Sea contributed 18,200 boepd.

Operated Kurdistan production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields averaged 126,800 bopd during the quarter, up from 109,400 in the first quarter of 2018.

The Company plans to more than double capital and exploration expenditures to USD 440 million this year, up from USD 200 million last year. Planned 2019 expenditure in Kurdistan is USD 250 million and USD 190 million in the North Sea.

DNO has launched an active drilling program of up to 36 wells across the portfolio, representing the highest number of wells in the Company’s 48-year history.

DNO’s Executive Chairman, Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani (pictured), said:

“With our recent acquisition, DNO has transformed into a more balanced company. We continue to generate significant cash from ultra-low cost, short-cycle, highly prolific fields in Kurdistan but now with a strong, second leg in the North Sea.”

(Source: DNO)

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DNO Increases Oil Reserves, Shares Rise

Shares in DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, were trading up five percent on Monday afternoon following the company’s announcemnt that it has replaced 2018 production through additions to reserves, marking the second consecutive year in which the Company’s replacement of proven reserves reached or exceeded 100 percent of production.

“DNO’s stellar record of reserves replacement through the drill bit is a result of stepped up spending on our portfolio of quality assets coupled with rapid-fire execution,” said Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani, DNO’s Executive Chairman. “And the barrels we continue to add are among the lowest cost in the industry, anywhere,” he expounded.

Yearend 2018 Company Working Interest (CWI) proven (1P) reserves stood at 240 million barrels of oil (MMbbls), unchanged from yearend 2017 after adjusting for production and technical revisions. On a CWI proven and probable (2P) reserves basis, DNO replaced 98 percent of its 2018 production, exiting the year with CWI 2P reserves of 376 MMbbls (384 MMbbls in 2017).

At 2018 production rates, DNO’s 1P reserves life is 8.2 years and its 2P reserves life is 12.9 years.

Significantly, the Company’s 1P reserves replacement ratio (RRR) has reached or exceeded 100 percent in eight of the past ten years.

On a gross basis, at the Tawke license in the Kurdistan region of Iraq containing the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, yearend 2018 1P reserves stood at 348 MMbbls, unchanged from 2017 after adjusting for production of 41 MMbbls and upward technical revisions of 41 MMbbls. Tawke license 2P reserves stood at 502 MMbbls (513 MMbbls in 2017) and proven, probable and possible (3P) reserves at 697 MMbbls (880 MMbbls in 2017).

Broken down by field, Tawke field gross 1P reserves stood at 294 MMbbls (335 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 376 MMbbls (438 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 477 MMbbls (588 MMbbls in 2017). Peshkabir field gross 1P reserves stood 54 MMbbls (13 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 126 MMbbls (75 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 220 MMbbls (292 MMbbls in 2017).

International petroleum consultants DeGolyer and MacNaughton carried out the annual independent assessment of the Tawke license. The Company internally assessed the remaining licenses in its portfolio.

The 2018 Annual Statement of Reserves and Resources, prepared and published in accordance with Oslo Stock Exchange listing and disclosure requirements (Circular No. 1/2013), is attached and is also available on the Company’s website at www.dno.no.

(Sources: DNO, Yahoo!)

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DNO Increases Oil Reserves, Shares Rise

Shares in DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, were trading up five percent on Monday afternoon following the company’s announcemnt that it has replaced 2018 production through additions to reserves, marking the second consecutive year in which the Company’s replacement of proven reserves reached or exceeded 100 percent of production.

“DNO’s stellar record of reserves replacement through the drill bit is a result of stepped up spending on our portfolio of quality assets coupled with rapid-fire execution,” said Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani, DNO’s Executive Chairman. “And the barrels we continue to add are among the lowest cost in the industry, anywhere,” he expounded.

Yearend 2018 Company Working Interest (CWI) proven (1P) reserves stood at 240 million barrels of oil (MMbbls), unchanged from yearend 2017 after adjusting for production and technical revisions. On a CWI proven and probable (2P) reserves basis, DNO replaced 98 percent of its 2018 production, exiting the year with CWI 2P reserves of 376 MMbbls (384 MMbbls in 2017).

At 2018 production rates, DNO’s 1P reserves life is 8.2 years and its 2P reserves life is 12.9 years.

Significantly, the Company’s 1P reserves replacement ratio (RRR) has reached or exceeded 100 percent in eight of the past ten years.

On a gross basis, at the Tawke license in the Kurdistan region of Iraq containing the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, yearend 2018 1P reserves stood at 348 MMbbls, unchanged from 2017 after adjusting for production of 41 MMbbls and upward technical revisions of 41 MMbbls. Tawke license 2P reserves stood at 502 MMbbls (513 MMbbls in 2017) and proven, probable and possible (3P) reserves at 697 MMbbls (880 MMbbls in 2017).

Broken down by field, Tawke field gross 1P reserves stood at 294 MMbbls (335 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 376 MMbbls (438 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 477 MMbbls (588 MMbbls in 2017). Peshkabir field gross 1P reserves stood 54 MMbbls (13 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 126 MMbbls (75 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 220 MMbbls (292 MMbbls in 2017).

International petroleum consultants DeGolyer and MacNaughton carried out the annual independent assessment of the Tawke license. The Company internally assessed the remaining licenses in its portfolio.

The 2018 Annual Statement of Reserves and Resources, prepared and published in accordance with Oslo Stock Exchange listing and disclosure requirements (Circular No. 1/2013), is attached and is also available on the Company’s website at www.dno.no.

(Sources: DNO, Yahoo!)