Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s (NYSE: WLL) proved reserves,
effective December 31, 2014, increased to an estimated 780 million
barrels of oil equivalent (“MMBOE”) of which 83% were classified as oil
and 90% were classified as oil and natural gas liquids. After replacing
2014 production, this represents a 29% increase over the year-end 2013
combined total for Whiting and Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. (“Kodiak”) of 606
MMBOE. Whiting’s reserves, including those acquired in the Kodiak
acquisition, were independently engineered by Cawley, Gillespie &
Associates, Inc.
James J. Volker, Whiting’s Chairman, President and CEO, commented,
“The 29% growth in our reserves underpins our strong financial position.
Accordingly, on December 19, 2014 our bank syndicate increased our
credit commitments to $4.5 billion reflecting our reserves and current
market conditions. At year-end 2014, we estimate we will have
approximately $1.4 billion drawn, leaving us $3.1 billion of liquidity.
Another factor underpinning our solid outlook is the flexibility we
have regarding our 2015 capital program. We intend to tailor our
2015 plans to maintain strong liquidity, keep a responsible debt to
EBITDAX level and deliver moderate year over year production growth. We
believe the company’s strong outlook is further reflected by Moody's
Investors Service (Moody's) recent upgrade of Whiting Petroleum
Corporation's corporate family rating to Ba1 from Ba2, just one notch
below investment grade.”
Mr. Volker continued, “We are also pursuing monetization of select
assets that would reduce debt and create up to $1 billion in additional
liquidity. Given volatile oil prices, we intend to issue final
2015 guidance on our fourth quarter 2014 results call in February 2015.”
About Whiting
Whiting, a Delaware corporation, is an independent oil and gas
company that explores for, develops, acquires and produces crude oil,
natural gas and natural gas liquids primarily in the Rocky Mountain and
Permian Basin regions of the United States. The Company’s largest
projects are in the Bakken and Three Forks plays in North Dakota, the
Niobrara play in northeast Colorado and its Enhanced Oil Recovery
(“EOR”) field in Texas. The Company trades publicly under the symbol “WLL”
on the New York Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit http://www.whiting.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that Whiting believes to be
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than historical
facts are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release,
words such as we “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “anticipate,”
“believe” or “should” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or
similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those expressed in, or implied by, such statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: Whiting’s
ability to integrate successfully after the Kodiak transaction and
achieve anticipated benefits from such transaction; risks relating to
any unforeseen liabilities of Whiting or Kodiak; declines in oil, NGL or
natural gas prices; the level of success in exploration, development and
production activities; the ability to successfully complete potential
asset dispositions and the risks related thereto; adverse weather
conditions that may negatively impact development or production
activities; the timing of exploration and development expenditures; the
ability to obtain sufficient quantities of CO2 necessary to carry out
EOR projects; inaccuracies of reserve estimates or assumptions
underlying them; revisions to reserve estimates as a result of changes
in commodity prices; impacts to financial statements as a result of
impairment write-downs; risks related to level of indebtedness and
periodic redeterminations of the borrowing base under our amended credit
agreement; ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations to
meet the internally funded portion of our capital expenditures budget;
ability to obtain external capital to finance exploration and
development operations and acquisitions; federal and state initiatives
relating to the regulation of hydraulic fracturing; the ability to
identify and complete acquisitions and to successfully integrate
acquired businesses; unforeseen underperformance of or liabilities
associated with acquired properties; the impacts of hedging on results
of operations; failure of properties to yield oil or gas in commercially
viable quantities; availability of, and risks associated with, transport
of oil and gas; shortages of or delays in obtaining qualified personnel
or equipment, including drilling rigs and completion services; uninsured
or underinsured losses resulting from oil and gas operations; inability
to access oil and gas markets due to market conditions or operational
impediments; the impact and costs of compliance with laws and
regulations governing oil and gas operations; ability to replace oil and
natural gas reserves; any loss of senior management or technical
personnel; competition in the oil and gas industry; and other risks
described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Whiting’s Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2013 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30, 2014. Whiting assumes no obligation, and
disclaim any duty, to update the forward-looking statements in this
press release.
Copyright Business Wire 2014
Source: Business Wire
(December 22, 2014 - 9:00 AM EST)
News by QuoteMedia
www.quotemedia.com