Courtesy of Benzinga.
Apache Corporation (NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) and its subsidiaries today announced an agreement to sell producing oil and gas assets in the Deep Basin area of western Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, for $374 million.
Incremental to Apache’s earlier $2 billion share re-purchase announcement, the company plans to use the proceeds of this transaction to buy back Apache common shares under the 30-million-share repurchase program that was authorized by Apache’s Board of Directors in 2013.
Apache is selling primarily dry gas-producing properties comprising 622,600 gross acres (328,400 net acres) in the Ojay, Noel and Wapiti areas in Alberta and British Columbia. In the Wapiti area, Apache will retain 100 percent of its working interest in horizons below the Cretaceous, retaining rights to the liquids-rich Montney and other deeper horizons. During 2013, production from the fields to be sold averaged 101 million cubic feet of natural gas and 1,500 barrels of liquid hydrocarbons per day.
The effective date of the transaction is Jan. 1, 2014, and it is expected to close on or about April 30. The transaction is subject to customary post-closing adjustments.
“This transaction is part of Apache’s portfolio rebalancing, which was undertaken last year to enable Apache to focus on growing liquids production from a deep inventory of crude oil- and liquids-rich opportunities in North America,” said G. Steven Farris, Apache’s chairman, chief executive officer and president.
“The sale of these natural gas assets – and other Canadian gas-producing properties sold last year – will permit Apache’s Canada Region to concentrate on liquids-rich opportunities that can provide more attractive rates of return and more predictable production growth,” Farris said.
Since the rebalancing was announced in 2013, Apache also divested operations on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf and in Argentina and sold a one-third interest in its Egypt operations.
About Apache
Apache Corporation is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Canada, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Australia and Argentina. Apache posts announcements, operational updates, investor information and copies of all press releases on its website, www.apachecorp.com.
Forward-looking statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects” and similar references to future periods. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future plans, expectations, and objectives for Apache’s operations, including statements about our drilling plans and production expectations, asset sales and monetizations and share repurchases. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and may not be completed for the amount expected, in the anticipated time frame, or at all. While forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by us that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results and developments will meet our expectations and predictions depend on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results, performance, and financial condition to differ materially from our expectations. See “Risk Factors” in our 2013 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of risk factors that affect our business. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this news release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future development, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Posted-In: News Asset Sales
