WTI ( July)* $78.66 -18c, Brent (July) $82.88 -83c, Diff -$4.22 +31c
USNG (June) $2.67 -8c, UKNG (June) 79.25p +2.91p, TTF (June) €33.69 +€1.87.
*WTI June contract expiry 

Oil price

Oil drifted after Fed speakers again suggested that cutting rates was not imminent. The UK inflation rate was 2.3%, slightly ahead of the whisper which might mean that the rate cut over here is to be August not June.

PetroTal Corp

PetroTal has announced leadership team enhancements, the renewal of its normal course issuer bid of approximately US$3 million per quarter (up to a maximum of US$12 million), following approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange, and other corporate updates.

Leadership Team Enhancements

Effective May 15, 2024, Mr. Sudan I. Maccio joined PetroTal Corp as Chief Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Maccio brings over 30 years of extensive legal expertise in global energy, encompassing a wide range of legal, commercial, and leadership roles, including strategic projects, advising the board on corporate governance, risk management strategy, high-exposure litigation, cross-border matters, and internal investigations.

Mr. Maccio recently served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Ecopetrol USA Inc., based in Houston Texas. Before Ecopetrol, Mr. Maccio was in private practice where he provided legal support to multibillion dollar M&A transactions in the refining and petrochemical sectors. His prior roles included serving as Assistant General Counsel at Eni US Operating Company, as well as in-house roles with Valerus Compression Services LP, BJ Services Company, Baker Hughes Inc., and Harvest Natural Resources, where he developed a strong track record supporting US domestic and international (Latin America) oil and gas transactions and operations.

Mr. Maccio is a candidate for an Executive MBA from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, holds an LL.M. from the University of Illinois College of Law, and a law degree from the Táchira Catholic University School of Law. He is a member of the Texas Bar (2008).

In addition, effective March 31, 2024 Mr. Jose Contreras was promoted to Chief Operating Officer from his previous role as Senior Vice President, Operations. Mr. Contreras will oversee all of PetroTal’s operations and lead the overall operational growth strategy for the Company.

Renewal of Normal Course Issuer Bid

PetroTal expects that the NCIB will continue to provide an additional tool to enhance total long-term shareholder returns. The Company believes that, at times, the prevailing share price does not reflect the underlying value of its common shares (“Common Shares”) and the repurchase of Common Shares for cancellation represents an attractive opportunity to improve PetroTal’s per share metrics and thereby increase the value of the Common Shares.

Based on internal approvals, PetroTal intends to purchase up to 14,600,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 2% of its issued and outstanding Common Shares as at May 10, 2024, over a 12-month period commencing on May 24, 2024 and ending no later than May 23, 2025. Under the NCIB, purchases of Common Shares may be made through the facilities of the TSX, alternative trading systems in Canada, if eligible, and AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Purchases under the NCIB will be made through open market transactions at market price, as well as by other means as may be permitted under applicable securities laws. The actual number of Common Shares that may be purchased under the NCIB and the timing of any such purchases will be determined by management of the Company. Any Common Shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled.

Under the TSX rules, the total number of Common Shares PetroTal is permitted to purchase on the TSX is subject to a daily purchase limit of 128,666 Common Shares (representing 25% of the average daily trading volume of 514,665 Common Shares on the TSX calculated for the six months ended April 30, 2024); provided that PetroTal may make one block purchase per calendar week that exceeds such limits.

In connection with the NCIB, the Company renewed a buyback agreement with Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (“Stifel”), who will continue to conduct the NCIB on PetroTal’s behalf and entered into an automatic purchase plan (the “ASPP”) with Stifel. The ASPP allows for the purchase of Common Shares under the NCIB at times when PetroTal would ordinarily not be permitted to purchase Common Shares due to regulatory restrictions and self-imposed blackout periods. Under the ASPP, before entering into a blackout period, PetroTal may, but is not required to, instruct Stifel to make purchases under the NCIB within specified parameters. Such purchases would be at the discretion of Stifel based on parameters provided by the Company prior to the blackout period in accordance with the terms of the ASPP and in compliance with the rules and regulations of the TSX, AIM and applicable securities laws. Any purchase of Common Shares on the TSX or alternate trading systems in Canada will continue to be completed by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. acting as agent for Stifel. The ASPP has been pre-cleared by the TSX. All purchases made pursuant to the terms of the ASPP will be included in computing the number of Common Shares purchased under the NCIB. Outside any blackout period, Common Shares may be purchased under the NCIB based on the discretion of the Company’s management in compliance with applicable exchange rules and securities laws.

The Company was permitted to repurchase up to 44,230,205 Common Shares under its current NCIB that ran from

May 18, 2023 to May 17, 2024. As at May 14, 2024, the Company had repurchased an aggregate 17,702,694 Common Shares under the expiring NCIB on the open market at a volume weighted average price per Common Share of approximately $0.58USD per share.

Ex Dividend Date for Q2 2024 Dividend

Based on new shortened security settlement rules in effect on May 27, 2024, which apply to Canadian securities industries, PetroTal is issuing an adjusted dividend timetable for its upcoming Q2 2024 dividend:

• Ex dividend date:  May 31, 2024 (previously May 30, 2024)
• Record date:  May 31, 2024 (unchanged)
• Payment date:  June 14, 2024 (unchanged)
• 2024 Virtual and in Person AGM

The Company is pleased to announce its 2024 annual general and special meeting of shareholders (“AGM”) will be held on June 19, 2024 (10:00am MT/15:00 UK) at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LLP in Calgary, Alberta.  The Company’s Management Information Circular and Proxy Statement in respect of the AGM is available at www.sedarplus.ca and the Company’s website (www.petrotalcorp.com).  Interested attendees can click on the virtual link below.

https://brrmedia.news/PTAL_AGM24

Dial in number(s)

• USA Local: +1 786 697 3501
• USA Toll Free: 866 580 3963
• Canada Toll Free: 1 866 378 3566
• UK-Wide: +44 (0) 33 0551 0200
• UK Toll Free: 0808 109 0700

Password (if prompted) – Quote ‘PetroTal AGM’ if prompted

Not much to comment on today for PetroTal who have hired a new legal Counsel/Company secretary as well as promoting Mr Jose Contreras from SVP Operations to COO.

And shareholders will like to see the company restarting the buy back wef 24/5 and plan to purchase c.2% of the shares.  

Rockhopper Exploration

Rockhopper has announced its audited results for the year ended 31 December 2023.

2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Sea Lion Development

Navitas Petroleum LP provided details of the updated Field Development Plan and additional independent resource report by Netherland Sewell & Associates.*

• New independent resource report commissioned by Navitas Petroleum LP

o  Optimised for the specifications of identified and available redeployable Floating Production and Offloading vessels (“FPSO”s)
o  2C resource base 791mmbbls, up from 712mmbbls
o  Initial development stage targeting 312mmbbls, up from 269mmbbls
o  Peak rate up to 55k bopd
o  Prolonged plateau of c.8 years
o  Improved economics, reduced breakeven at US$25/bbl cost life of field

o  Cost to first oil US$1.2bn
o  Capex per bbl US$8 life of field
o  Opex per bbl US$17 life of field
o  NPV 10 > US$4bn gross to the JV at US$77/bbl Brent **

• Environment Impact Statement (“EIS”) pre-consultation started in November 2023
• Navitas continues to refine Field Development Plan (“FDP”)
• Navitas actively working with leading industry vendors to secure all long lead equipment

Ombrina Mare Arbitration Award

Monetisation of the Award

• Monetisation of Award to Specialist Fund payable in 3 tranches:

o  Tranche 1 – Rockhopper will retain approximately €15million (pre-tax) of an initial gross payment of €45million, the balance going to pay the initial litigation funder and available for legal success fees;
o  Tranche 2 – Rockhopper will retain 100% of a payment of €65million upon a successful annulment outcome.  This amount to be reduced on a partial annulment; and
o  Tranche 3 – Rockhopper will retain 100% of a profit share of 20% on recovery above amounts in excess of 200% of the Specialist Funds total investment costs.

• Transaction requires Falkland Island Government (“FIG”) consent to complete

o  Work continues with FIG to secure consent which should be obtained by end June 2024

• Should consent not be obtained by end June 2024, either side has right to terminate

o  The Specialist Fund is paying the legal costs associated with the Award from 20 December 2023
o  In case of non-completion, Rockhopper will compensate the Specialist Fund based on their legal fees incurred

Annulment Proceedings

• Italy requested to annul Arbitration Award in October 2022
• Annulment hearing completed April 2024
• Rockhopper and advisors remain confident in merits of legal case
• Continue to be hopeful a decision is possible before the end of 2024

Corporate and Financial

• High calibre, experienced and independent Board
• Focus on maintaining balance sheet strength
• Continued management of costs

* Rockhopper is not an addressee and has not been party to the production of the 2024 NSAI Independent Report. The 2024 NSAI Independent Report has been produced to PRMS standards. The last independent resource report commissioned directly by Rockhopper was the ERCE 2016 Report which had an estimated 2C value of 517mmbbls. See RNS dated 22 January 2024.
** Post royalty, pre-tax.

Simon Thomson, Chair of Rockhopper, commented:
“I am delighted to have joined Rockhopper at such a pivotal point in the Company’s history. Whilst risks plainly remain, it is possible that by this time next year we will have both completed the monetisation of our Ombrina Mare Arbitration and seen FID at Sea Lion. Both would be hugely significant catalysts for the Company, and represent the culmination of many years of hard work by our dedicated team. I look forward to working with the team to unlock real shareholder value over the years to come.”

Nothing new to add for Rockhopper today for whom it must be delightful to be so positive as Chairman Simon Thomson is above. I am looking forward to chatting to the company about the operations so will write again then. 

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Malcy's Blog