InterOil Posts Q3 2012 Results (PNG)

InterOil Corporation announced financial and operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2012 and also certain recent developments.

Third Quarter 2012 Highlights and Recent Developments

• Net profit for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was $5.3 million. Operating segments of Corporate, Midstream Refining and Downstream collectively derived a net profit for the quarter of $16.8 million, while the investments in the development segments of Upstream and Midstream Liquefaction resulted in a net loss of $11.5 million.
• After successfully running and cementing 13 3/8 inch casing at 3,632 feet (1,107 meters) at Antelope-3, InterOil’s rig 2 has drilled the well to a depth of 5,013 feet (1,528 meters). Forward plan is to drill to the top of the Antelope reservoir estimated at 5,545 feet (1,690 meters) and then continue on to total depth of 8,366 feet (2,550 meters), followed by wireline logging, rotary sidewall coring and drill stem testing.
• Rig 3 is being mobilized to the Elk-3 drilling location. With access roads from both the north and the south and a central upstream development camp in place, InterOil is set to begin drilling the second of two obligation wells in Petroleum Retention License (PRL) 15. The Company’s Tuna and Wahoo/Mako prospects, targeting seismically defined reefal indications, in PPLs 236 and 238 have matured to the drill ready stage and preparations to access to the proposed drilling locations are underway.
• Subsequent to quarter end, on October 16, 2012, the Company entered into a five year amortizing $100 million secured term loan facility with BNP Paribas Singapore, Bank South Pacific Limited, and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (PNG) Limited which was used to repay indebtedness under the OPIC loan, with the remaining amount to be used for general corporate purposes. The loan is secured by the assets of the refinery and bears interest at LIBOR plus 6.5%.

InterOil’s Chief Executive Officer Phil Mulacek commented, “We are pleased with the progress in our negotiations with the Government of PNG related to our proposal to develop a 3.8 million tonne per annum LNG project in the Gulf Province.”

As to the Antelope-3 well, Mr. Mulacek noted that, “We are very encouraged by the progress in drilling the Antelope-3 well to near the top of the reservoir. This well is expected to further appraise our resourses.

Our prospect inventory is maturing and we anticipate that it will support our goal of a multi-year, multi-well exploration program. We believe that these achievements, combined with our strong balance sheet, support our continued growth and operational success.”

Midstream Liquefaction

Following receipt of the required PNG Government approvals, InterOil will be able to conclude the LNG partnering process. Company has made significant progress with FEED engineering studies, construction of roads and camps, social mapping and genealogical studies, which will assist in the partnering and execution of the project.

The Company’s Midstream Liquefaction business generated a net loss of $0.6 million in the third quarter of 2012 compared with a loss of $4.0 million in the same period a year ago. The positive variance is largely due to a decrease in office, administration and other expenses related to the midstream facilities of the LNG Project development which are not capitalized.

Downstream

Total Downstream sales volumes for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 were 185.0 million litres, an increase of 22.5 million litres, or 13.8%, over the same quarter in 2011.

PNG economy remains strong with continued robust activity in the resource sector although this is tempered by certain construction projects for the ExxonMobil LNG project now nearing an end.

InterOil’s Downstream operations generated a net profit of $5.6 million in the third quarter of 2012, an improvement of $4.5 million versus a profit of $1.1 million in the previous year.

Corporate

The Corporate segment generated a net profit of $7.8 million in the third quarter of 2012, compared to a net loss of $0.5 million in the same period of 2011. The positive variance is largely the result of a decreased loss on FLEX LNG investment.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, November 15, 2012