Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation Provides Company Update
10 October 2008 - 2:55AM
PR Newswire (US)
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aurora Oil
& Gas Corporation (AMEX:AOG) today provided an update of its
recent activities and interactions with its current lending
relationships. Sale of Oklahoma Project Area Effective September
15, 2008, Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation ("Aurora") completed the
sale of approximately 33,000 net acres, representing its entire
Woodford shale position, for cash and other consideration valued in
excess of $15 million. The transaction was completed with a private
operator, Presidium Energy, LC ("Presidium"), which had been
working to purchase the project from Aurora for several months.
During that time period, Presidium made a $2 million non-refundable
payment for the acreage and paid over $1 million of obligations to
Aurora's operating partner in Oklahoma. At closing, Presidium made
an additional $1 million cash payment and provided a promissory
note in the amount of $12 million. In addition, Presidium assisted
in negotiating a resolution to the lawsuit between Aurora and its
operating partner, which led to a dismissal of the litigation, with
prejudice. The promissory note is due in 2 years and requires
monthly interest payments at a rate of 9% annually. Nearly 32,000
acres that were sold remain encumbered by the note as security for
the $12 million payment. As Presidium requests release of
additional acreage to pursue further drilling activities, it must
make pro rata principal payments for the net acres included in each
new drilling unit. In addition, Aurora receives a 3% overriding
royalty interest (ORRI) in the acreage conveyed by this
transaction, as well as certain other acreage owned by Presidium in
the same development location. In aggregate, the acreage position
on which the ORRI is effective totals approximately 67,000 net
acres. William W. Deneau, Chief Executive Officer, commented,
"Completing this transaction creates a winning solution for all
parties involved. It generates greater proceeds for the property
than were originally anticipated and extinguishes the litigation
associated with our joint venture partner in that project area.
This is an ideal resolution to a risky and unproductive asset in
our portfolio. Going forward, our 3% overriding royalty interest
will allow us to participate in what could be a tremendous upside
while eliminating downside risk to our enterprise." Remaining
Assets for Development The Company's remaining assets include its
producing natural gas properties and undeveloped acreage in the
Antrim shale, producing oil properties and undeveloped acreage in
northern Texas, approximately 440,000 net acres in the New Albany
shale, and various interests in prospective development areas, such
as the ORRI in the subject properties sold in the transactions
described in this press release. Receipt of Default Notices On
October 3, 2008, Aurora received a Notice of Default from BNP
Paribas ("BNP") with respect to its Senior Secured Credit Facility.
Also, on October 6, 2008, Aurora received a Notice of Default from
Laminar Direct Capital, L.L.C. with respect to its Second Lien Term
Loan. The Company had previously received waivers and a forbearance
and standstill agreement which ended in August. In the Notices, the
banks informed Aurora that it is now subject to a default interest
rate equal to a 2% increase over its existing rates, in accordance
with the credit agreements. Though it is the Senior Secured
lender's right to immediately accelerate collection under the
credit agreement, these notices do not indicate any such intention.
Our banks have verbally indicated their desire to informally
standstill as Aurora pursues strategic asset divestitures. The
Company cannot provide any assurance that this arrangement will
continue in the future. Mr. Deneau commented, "No one better
understands the implications of the existing economic and credit
conditions than those in our bank groups. We continue to keep our
banks informed of our efforts and believe they are willing to work
with our company to find an equitable solution to our financial
situation." Receipt of Notice of Early Termination On August 20,
2007, Aurora established an ISDA master trading agreement ("ISDA")
with BNP, which allowed the Company to hedge certain natural gas
and interest rate exposures, but not be subject to cash margining
if the exposures were detrimental to Aurora. The ISDA agreement
provided that upon an event of default, BNP could terminate the
agreement and unwind all derivatives held under the agreement. On
September 30, 2008, BNP provided Aurora with a Notice of Early
Termination. Under this Notice, all hedges - natural gas and
interest rate - were terminated. The settlement amount of the
termination amounted to a loss of $2.2 million ($600 thousand for
natural gas derivatives and $1.6 million for interest rate
derivatives). At present, the Company does not intend to hedge its
natural gas or interest rate exposures. This is subject to change
at any time. Additional detail on the Notices discussed in this
press release can be found in the Company's Form 8-K filed October
9, 2008. This form can be retrieved from the Securities and
Exchange Commission or via the Company website at
http://www.auroraogc.com/SEC_Filings.htm . About Aurora Oil &
Gas Corporation Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation is an independent
energy company focused on unconventional natural gas exploration,
acquisition, development and production with its primary operations
in the Antrim shale of Michigan and the New Albany shale of Indiana
and Kentucky. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Statements regarding future events, occurrences, circumstances,
activities, performance, outcomes, beliefs and results, including
production, reserves, revenues, cost controls, asset transactions,
negotiations for new credit arrangements, relationship with
existing lenders, economic viability of development opportunities,
and the condition of the economic environment or improvement
thereof are 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. Although we believe that the
forward-looking statements described are based on reasonable
assumptions, we can give no assurance that they will prove
accurate. Important factors that could cause our actual results to
differ materially from those included in the forward-looking
statements include the timing and extent of changes in commodity
prices for oil and gas, drilling and operating risks, the
availability of drilling rigs, changes in laws or government
regulations, unforeseen engineering and mechanical or technological
difficulties in drilling the wells, operating hazards,
weather-related delays, the loss of existing credit facilities,
availability of capital, and other risks more fully described in
our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All
forward-looking statements contained in this release, including any
forecasts and estimates, are based on management's outlook only as
of the date of this release and we undertake no obligation to
update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of subsequent developments or otherwise. Join our email
distribution list:
http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1419&to=ea&s=0 Contact:
Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation Jeffrey W. Deneau, Investor
Relations (231) 941-0073 DATASOURCE: Aurora Oil & Gas
Corporation CONTACT: Jeffrey W. Deneau, Investor Relations of
Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation, +1-231-941-0073 Web site:
http://www.auroraogc.com/ http://www.auroraogc.com/SEC_Filings.htm
Copyright
Aurora Oil & Gas Corp. (AMEX:AOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2024 to Jan 2025
Aurora Oil & Gas Corp. (AMEX:AOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2024 to Jan 2025