Lower prices hits Oil Search bottom line
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Despite reporting strong production in the December quarter, ASX-listed Oil Search reported a 10% decline in revenue for the fourth quarter, on the back of lower oil prices.
Total production during the quarter under review reached 7.51-million barrels of oil equivalent, which was up 1% on the 7.42-million barrels produced in the previous quarter.
The Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (PNG LNG) project delivered 5.73-million barrels of oil equivalent, while the base LNG oil and gas business contributed 1.79-million barrels of oil equivalent.
“Following a strong performance from both the PNG LNG project and our operated oil fields during the fourth quarter, 2015 full-year production was 29.3-million barrels of oil equivalent, which was an all-time record for the company and above the top-end of our 27-million to 29-million barrels equivalent guidance range,” said Oil Search MD Peter Botten.
The PNG LNG project produced at a yearly rate of 7.6-million tonnes a year, up from the 7.4-million tonnes in the third quarter, and some 10% higher than the nameplate capacity of 6.9-million tonnes.
Despite the increase in production, total revenue for the fourth quarter reached $342.9-million, which was 10% lower than the third quarter, largely owing to the drop in global oil and gas prices.
Product sales for the fourth quarter were also 3% lower than the September quarter, owing to timings of liftings.
“Oil Search is in the very fortunate position of having a range of producing assets with low operating costs and small sustaining capital requirements. Based on the current cost structure, the company would generate positive operating cash flow even if oil prices fell to $20/barrel,” Botten added.
He pointed out that a number of changes had been made to the company’s organisational structure and internal processes in 2015, to improve efficiencies and reduce costs.
Further, almost all third-party contracts have been renegotiated or were being reviewed, in line with reduced forward work programmes and current market conditions.
“Given the recent further sharp decline in oil prices, we are using the information gained through the 2015 business optimisation programme to actively prioritise further cost reduction opportunities across our business. Our overall strategy, however, remains unchanged, with a strong focus on Papua New Guinea, where we have a major competitive advantage, and our high-value growth projects,” Botten said.
Given the downturn in oil prices in recent months, the company was also carrying out a review of impairment across all of its assets.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation