Noble Energy Reports Net Income of USD 221 Million, USA

Noble Energy reported third quarter 2012 net income of $221 million, or $1.23 per share diluted, and net income from continuing operations(1) of $164 million, or $0.91 per share diluted.

Excluding the impact of unrealized commodity derivative losses and certain other items, third quarter 2012 adjusted net income from continuing operations was $167 million, or $0.93 per share diluted. Net income from continuing operations for the third quarter 2011 was $491 million, or $2.67 per share diluted and adjusted net income from continuing operations was $191 million, or $1.01 per share diluted.

Discretionary cash flow from continuing operations for the third quarter 2012 was a record $714 million, compared to $563 million for the same quarter in 2011. Net cash provided by operating activities was $924 million, and capital expenditures were $724 million.

Key highlights for the third quarter 2012 include:

• Record quarterly sales volume of 242 MBoe/d, up 11 percent year over year
• Horizontal net production within the DJ Basin increased to 31 MBoe/d, up 29 percent from last quarter and more than double from the third quarter of 2011
• Marcellus production grew to 102 MMcfe/d, an increase of 38 percent over last quarter
• Initiated production from the wet gas area of the Marcellus Shale that indicates a portion of the company’s acreage is within the “super rich” area of the play
• Entered into new positions offshore Falkland Islands and Sierra Leone
• Secured a service contract for a new-build drillship capable of both reaching deep oil targets in the Eastern Mediterranean and supporting the company’s global drilling program
• Received over $1.1 billion in proceeds from ivestments of non-core assets
• Exercised option to increase credit facility from $3 billion to $4 billion, enhancing the company’s strong liquidity position

Charles D. Davidson, Noble Energy’s Chairman and CEO, commented, “Strong liquids growth in both the DJ Basin and Gulf of Mexico contributed to our standout performance this quarter. Discretionary cash flow grew to a record level, up 27 percent over the comparable period last year, driven by a 42 percent increase in crude oil sales. Despite the impact of Hurricane Isaac in the Gulf of Mexico and unscheduled third party downtime in the DJ Basin, volumes grew by eight percent over last quarter and 11 percent year over year. Our major international projects at Tamar and Alen remain on schedule, and we expect to initiate sales from Tamar in less than six months.”

Third quarter 2012 sales volumes from continuing operations totaled 242 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBoe/d), up 11 percent from the third quarter 2011. Production volumes from continuing operations for the quarter were 247 MBoe/d, with the difference attributable to the timing of crude oil liftings in Equatorial Guinea. Sales volumes of crude oil and natural gas liquids increased 42 percent and 10 percent respectively, while natural gas declined 3 percent. Overall volumes consisted of 35 percent crude oil, 10 percent natural gas liquids, 25 percent international natural gas and 30 percent domestic natural gas.

U.S. sales volumes were 141 MBoe/d, up 25 percent from the third quarter last year. The growth was primarily attributable to the acceleration of the Company’s horizontal drilling program in the DJ Basin, the addition of the Marcellus Shale and the startup of Galapagos in the Gulf of Mexico. Divestments and natural production declines in non-core onshore properties offset a portion of the gains.

International sales volumes totaled 101 MBoe/d for the quarter, down five percent from the same period last year. The impact was primarily driven by lower natural gas sales in Israel partially offset by strong operational performance of the Aseng field in Equatorial Guinea.

The average realized price for crude oil and condensate was $99.30 per barrel for the third quarter, up three percent from the prior year period. Natural gas realizations in the U.S. averaged $2.61 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) and $4.43 per Mcf in Israel. Natural gas liquids pricing in the U.S. averaged $29.71 per barrel, which equates to 32 percent of the average price for West Texas Intermediate (WTI – NYMEX) crude oil.

Total production costs per barrel of oil equivalent (Boe), including lease operating expense (LOE), production and ad valorem taxes, and transportation and gathering expenses were $7.10 per Boe, up slightly from the third quarter of 2011. LOE was $4.63 per Boe and depreciation, depletion, and amortization (DD&A) was $16.53 per Boe. The unit rates were impacted mostly by the growing contribution from new high-value crude oil production in the Gulf of Mexico and West Africa. Exploration expense includes leasehold costs associated with our exit from Senegal and dry hole cost associated with the Trema well, offshore Cameroon. The Company’s adjusted effective tax rate for the third quarter 2012 was 33 percent, with 60 percent deferred.”

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LNG World News Staff, October 26, 2012