Energy
Savannah Acquires 49% Interest In Stubb Creek Field, Nigeria
Savannah Energy PLC has announced that it has signed separate Share Purchase Agreements (“SPAs”) with Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation (“SIPC”) and Jagal Ventures Limited (“Jagal”) to acquire 100% of the outstanding share capital of Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Nigeria Limited (“SIPEC”) (the “SIPEC Acquisition”).
The company also announced that it published an updated Competent Persons Report (“CPR”), compiled by CGG Services (UK) Ltd, covering its assets in Nigeria.
Offering details on these, the company’s Communications Manager in Nigeria, Okwudili Onyia in a statement, revealed that “SIPEC’s principal asset is a 49% non-operated interest in the Stubb Creek oil and gas field (“Stubb Creek”), located in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. An affiliate of Savannah, Universal Energy Resources Limited, is the 51% owner and operator.”
The SIPC SPA would see Savannah Energy SC Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Savannah) acquire a 75% equity interest in SIPEC for cash consideration of US$52 million, payable on completion and subject to customary adjustments for a transaction of this nature from 1 September 2023.
In addition, the Jagal SPA would see Savannah Energy SC Limited acquire a 25% equity interest in SIPEC for cash consideration of US$7.5 million (without adjustment), payable on completion, plus US$2 million in deferred cash consideration payable in eight equal quarterly instalments post-completion.
The transaction consideration is expected to be funded through a new bank debt facility arranged by The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and the existing cash resources of the Company. Completion under each of the SPAs is subject to the parties’ satisfaction of customary conditions precedent, including certain regulatory approvals, as well as a mechanism ensuring that completion under both SPAs occurs simultaneously.
As at year end 2023, SIPEC had an estimated 8.1 MMstb of 2P oil reserves and 227 Bscf of 2C Contingent gas resources. SIPEC oil production is estimated at an average for 2024 of 1.4 Kbopd. Savannah’s Reserve and Resource base will increase by approximately 46 MMboe following completion of the SIPEC Acquisition.
It is anticipated that, within 12 months following completion of the SIPEC Acquisition, Stubb Creek gross production should increase by approximately 2.7 Kbopd to approximately 4.7 Kbopd through implementation of a de-bottlenecking programme.
The SIPEC Acquisition will secure significant additional feedstock gas available for sale to Savannah’s 80% owned Nigerian gas processing and distribution subsidiary, Accugas Limited (“Accugas”). At present, Accugas has eight principal gas customers, including large thermal power stations, such as Calabar Generation Company Limited, as well as key industrial players, such as Lafarge Africa PLC and the Central Horizon Gas Company Limited. With a weighted average remaining contract life of 14 years, Savannah’s natural gas supplies are a critical enabler of the Nigerian economy and currently support approximately 20% of Nigeria’s thermal power generation.
Since Savannah announced its intention to acquire Accugas in late 2017: (i) volumes of gas transported; (ii) the number of significant customers served; and (iii) the Company’s contribution to thermal power generation in Nigeria have each more than doubled.
The following information in relation to the SIPEC Acquisition is included in accordance with the disclosure requirements of Schedule Four to the AIM Rules for Companies:
For the financial year ended 31 December 2022, SIPEC audited accounts show income after tax of US$27.8 million (excluding exceptional income of US$42.3 million) and total assets of US$136.5 million.
CEO, Savannah Energy, said, Andrew Knott, “Savannah remains committed to growing our core business in Nigeria through a combination of both value accretive acquisitions and organic projects.
“This is reflected in this morning’s announcement of the SIPEC Acquisition. The base case acquisition has been priced in line with our expected returns criteria, with the identified upside cases (the oil de-bottlenecking and new gas sales to Accugas projects) hoped to add significant value to the Stubb Creek field over time.”
Keen on optimising production from the nation’s hydrocarbon assets to boost revenues and meet her OPEC production quota, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and its Joint Venture partner in the Awoba Unit Field, Newcross Exploration and Production Ltd., have restarted production from the Awoba field which last contributed production to the Bonny Terminal in 2021 and was finally shut down in February 2022 due to evacuation issues and crude oil theft.
This was contained in a statement put out on the state oil company’s X handle on Tuesday from Abuja, under the signature of its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi O. Soneye.
He asserted that since the restart of the Awoba field by NNPC Ltd and it partners on April 13, 2024; production from the field has averaged 8,000 barrels per day and is expected to plateau at 12,000 per day at full ramp up within 30 days.
Awoba is also expected to significantly boost gas supply to the power sector and other gas-based industries, Soneye added.
Biztellers reports that the Awoba Unit which straddles OMLs 18 and 24 is located in the mangrove swamp south of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Both OML 18 and OML 24 assets are under the management of the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS).
Recall that the NNPC Ltd. has been recording a string of production successes from the JV portfolio which have significantly lifted overall national production. Besides the recent start of production at the Madu Field by the NNPC Ltd/First E&P JV, the company has achieved the restart of production at OMLs 29 and OML 18 in late 2023 which have steadily contributed an average of 60,000bpd to the nation’s production output since their restart.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mallam Mele Kyari, ascribed the achievement to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s success in providing enabling operating environment for businesses to thrive.
He expressed appreciation to all stakeholders (staff, operators, host communities, government security agencies, and private security contractors) who played a pivotal role in achieving the feat.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its Joint Venture partner in OML 85, First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (First E&P), have commenced oil production from the asset also known as Madu Field.
Biztellers reports that production from the field which is located in shallow waters offshore Bayelsa State and operated by First E&P is expected to be at an average of 20,000 barrels per day.
The achievement is a testament to the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to optimise production from the nation’s oil and gas assets through the provision of enabling environment for existing and prospective investors.
According to the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, the commencement of oil production at the Madu Field is a significant milestone that will contribute to the larger goal of meeting the production required to drive revenue growth and boost the nation’s economy.
He commended stakeholders for their support, and opined that the addition of 20,000 barrels per day by an indigenous oil player signals the commitment of stakeholders to achieving economic development for Nigeria.
Recall that the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the development of the Madu Field and a sister field, Anyala, was taken by the NNPC Ltd/First E&P JV in 2018.
Production from the Madu Field will be processed at the JV’s Abigail-Joseph Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Unit, which has a crude oil storage capacity of up to 800,000bbls.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has denounced stories being peddled around that it is recruiting.
General Manager, Policy, Government & Public Affairs, CNL, E. O. Brikinn, denounced the stories in a statement made available to Biztellers, in which he cautioned that the company will not respond to enquiries about “fraudulent advertisements and job offers”.
It reads, “Chevron Nigeria Limited (“CNL”), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (“NNPCL”) and CNL Joint Venture, is aware of the circulation of false recruitment information in some media and online channels in the name of CNL and Chevron Corporation, purportedly advertising job positions in CNL.
“Additionally, fraudulent job offers have reportedly been sent through emails, text messages and phone calls by individuals purporting to be staff or representatives of CNL and Chevron Corporation.
“Members of the public are hereby notified that CNL does not solicit job applications or initiate recruitment processes through emails, posters, handbills, text messages, social media, or phone calls.
“Job seekers are advised to always check the company’s website at: http:/www.careers.chevron.com, and the national newspapers for job advertisements from CNL.
“CNL does not and will not require applicants to make any payment towards processing any job application. Job offers requesting candidates to pay money, at any point during the recruitment process, are not from CNL. CNL advises that anyone who receives these fraudulent communications should report them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
“CNL hereby dissociates itself from all false job adverts and offers published in any online media platform, web site, email, poster, handbill or any other medium.
“CNL will not respond to enquiries about fraudulent advertisements and job offers.”
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