WTI $59.77  +44c, Brent $63.16 +42c, Diff -$3.39 -2c, NG $2.52 +6c, UKNG 48.0p -0.7p

Oil price

Oil is quiet, stuck right in the middle of the current trading range with nothing obvious likely to change the current state of affairs. The vaccine and economic growth vs the still major worldwide number of Covid cases jury is still out, at least quite how long will the world take to get back to normal levels of oil demand is up for discussion.

Add to that it appears that the Opec+ leadership have also taken some of the beta out of the process by their statement last week suggesting that they will effectively sit on the price and release 350/- b/d in May and June and 441/- b/d in July plus a wind-down of the Saudi position where necessary means that 2H is going to be crucial.

Finally, yet again we have a mixed set of inventory stats, the EIA reported a decent crude draw of  3.5m barrels but with refinery runs of 84% and a modest product demand, that led to gasoline stock  increases of 4m b’s and distillates build of 1.5m b’s.

Diversified Gas & Oil

The company announces that its key lending group led by KeyBank Association, reaffirmed the existing $425 million borrowing base of the Company’s senior secured credit facility with no changes to pricing, covenants or other material terms after completing the Credit Facility’s semi-annual redetermination.

Rusty Hutson, Jr., CEO of the Company commented,
“Once again, our portfolio of stable-producing wells with long-life reserves complemented by robust hedges and value-enhancing midstream assets garnered a unanimous reaffirmation of our current borrowing base. Ever mindful of the challenging pandemic and related volatility, I would like to thank our sixteen-member bank group for their support of our differentiated business strategy through lending and other services that support our hedging and financing activities. The reaffirmation solidifies our liquidity as we continue to evaluate opportunities to create stakeholder value by enlarging our portfolio of producing and midstream assets over which we can deploy our Smarter Asset Management programmes.”

The bank group clearly know a good thing when they see one and DGO is without doubt, a good thing. To have reaffirmed the existing borrowing base is indeed showing faith in the top quality management of DGO and given them the licence to get stuck in to the opportunities which are presenting themselves.

It is good to know that Rusty and his team are adopting a highly selective stance in doing deals but I’m sure that it won’t be long before something comes along and I am hoping that it is something like that that takes the share price back up to 130p and higher where it should be.

Hurricane Energy

Following yesterday’s blog I had a number of enquiries about why I had not commented on the news. The answer is that there is no news, the summary CPR was ‘broadly consistent’  with the estimates provided by the company back in September 2020 and the update on stakeholder engagement rang a few bells with me.

The Company continues to engage with an ad hoc group of its convertible noteholders over the Company’s forward work programme, strategy, financing and balance sheet recapitalisation. It should be noted that there is a risk of significant dilution to existing shareholders from a possible restructuring and/or partial equitisation of the convertible bonds and of potentially limited or no value being returned to shareholders.

If no agreement can be reached with the Company’s stakeholders on additional development activity at Lancaster, the field could continue to produce from the P6 well before reaching its economic limit, the timing of which would depend on oil prices, actual production levels delivered and the level of cost savings achievable. The field may then be decommissioned, with potentially limited or no value returned to shareholders’.

Antony Maris, Chief Executive Officer of Hurricane, commented:
“The summary of the CPR published today is broadly consistent with the estimates for Lancaster and Lincoln which we presented in September 2020. We are continuing to work on a financial plan and are engaging with our key stakeholders to allow us to take the business forward and provide us with the best chance of targeting these reserves and resources.”

As far as I can see nothing changes in either the estimates of West Shetland assets nor the potential risk that remains with the company now that the driving forces behind the company are no longer on the premises…

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Malcy's Blog