Kosmos Energy announced today its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter of 2024. For the quarter, the Company generated a net loss of $7 million, or $0.01 per diluted share. When adjusted for certain items that impact the comparability of results, the Company generated an adjusted net loss(1) of $16 million, or $0.03 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024.
FOURTH QUARTER 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
- Zero lost-time injuries or total recordable injuries in 2024
- Net Production(2): ~66,800 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), with sales of ~65,700 boepd
- Revenues: $398 million, or $65.80 per boe (excluding the impact of derivative cash settlements)
- Production expense: $153 million ($19.39 per boe excluding $35.6 million of production expenses associated with the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) liquefied natural gas (LNG) project)
- Capital expenditures: $117 million
- Achieved first gas production at the GTA LNG project in December; first LNG production achieved in February 2025
- Secured the Noble Venturer drilling rig for the 2025/2026 Jubilee drilling campaign; commenced a 4D seismic survey over Jubilee and TEN in January 2025
- ~137% 2P reserve replacement ratio with year-end 2024 2P reserves of ~528 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe), representing a 22-year reserves-to-production ratio
- Maintained AAA rating with MSCI
Commenting on the Company's 2024 performance, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Inglis said:
"In 2022, we set out a goal to materially grow production from several key projects across our portfolio. 2024 was a year of delivering those projects, with continued 2P reserve growth and production now increasing as the projects ramp up. With the end of this highly capital-intensive period for the company we will now prioritize the generation of free cash flow from our increased production base together with disciplined capital investment. Our forecast 2025 capex budget of $400 million is a reduction of over 50% from recent years.
Operationally, we were pleased to see first gas production at GTA at the end of 2024, followed earlier this month by first LNG production, two significant milestones for the project, its partners and the people of Mauritania and Senegal. The first cargo is currently being prepared for loading. GTA is a world-scale asset in the Kosmos portfolio and with the initial capital intensive phase complete, we can focus on delivering the full potential of the asset with significant room to grow production and cash flow.
In the Gulf of America, we expect production to further increase from the Winterfell 3&4 wells in the coming months and have been pleased by the production optimization projects undertaken during 2024. In Ghana, with the Jubilee 4D seismic and the upcoming infill drilling program, we expect to see production increasing. Jubilee is a world-class oil field and with the appropriate field management, sustained water injection and high facility reliability, the asset is capable of delivering strong production volumes for many years to come."
FINANCIAL UPDATE
The Company generated net cash provided by operating activities of approximately $176 million and free cash flow(1) of approximately $14 million in the fourth quarter.
Kosmos exited the fourth quarter of 2024 with approximately $2.8 billion of total long-term debt and approximately $2.7 billion of net debt(1) and available liquidity of approximately $535 million. The Company has minimal near-term debt maturities with only $250 million in 2026, which it intends to fund from free cash flow.
Net capital expenditure for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $117 million, slightly higher than guidance primarily due to higher startup costs associated with GTA. In 2025 capital expenditure is expected to be $400 million or below, more than 50% lower than the previous year as we prioritize cash generation through disciplined capital allocation. Additionally, as a part of this ongoing rigorous cost management, the Company is targeting a reduction in annual overhead of around $25 million by year-end 2025.
RESERVES UPDATE
At year-end 2024, Kosmos 2P reserves were approximately 530 million boe, representing a reserve replacement ratio of 137% and a 2P reserves-to-production ratio of approximately 22 years, demonstrating the longevity of the portfolio. The positive 2P reserve replacement was largely driven by upward revisions in Mauritania and Senegal. Kosmos 2P reserves do not include any recognition for the Tiberius and Yakaar-Teranga discoveries. Kosmos 1P reserves were approximately 250 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), representing a 1P reserves to production ratio of around 11 years and a reserve replacement ratio of -11% driven primarily by annual production. Kosmos' year-end reserves on all assets have been independently evaluated by Ryder Scott.
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Production
Total net production(2) in the fourth quarter of 2024 averaged approximately 66,800 boepd. Production was below guidance primarily due to lower production at Jubilee (flagged by the operator in January) and the timing impact of new project startups. The Company exited the quarter in a net underlift position of approximately 0.2 million barrels. While these projects are close to completing their ramp-up within the next month, first quarter 2025 production is also impacted by planned shut-downs at Jubilee in Ghana and at the Devils Tower facility, which hosts Kodiak field, in the Gulf of America.
Ghana
Production in Ghana averaged approximately 38,600 boepd net in the fourth quarter of 2024. Kosmos lifted three cargos from Ghana during the quarter, in line with guidance.
At Jubilee (38.6% working interest), oil production in the fourth quarter averaged approximately 80,200 bopd gross with full year production averaging approximately 87,000 bopd gross. Fourth quarter production versus guidance was impacted by insufficient water injection and reliability, primarily related to power generation, and we are working with the operator to address these field management issues. To moderate decline ahead of the upcoming drilling campaign, a combination of high FPSO uptime, improved facility reliability and voidage replacement in excess of 100% are required, consistent with what has been delivered through the first two months of 2025.
The Noble Venturer rig has been contracted to drill two wells in 2025 and is expected to arrive in May. The two wells, one Jubilee producer and one Jubilee injector, are expected online in the third quarter of 2025. The rig will then undergo scheduled maintenance before returning for a planned four-well drilling campaign on Jubilee in 2026.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Jubilee gas production net to Kosmos was approximately 5,700 boepd in line with expectations.
At TEN (20.4% working interest), oil production averaged approximately 17,800 bopd gross for the fourth quarter.
Gulf of America
Production in the Gulf of America averaged approximately 18,200 boepd net (~83% oil) during the fourth quarter with Winterfell shut in for most of the quarter due to previously communicated Winterfell-3 issues. The Winterfell 1&2 wells were brought back online in late-December. The rig contracted to drill the Winterfell-4 well starting later this quarter is currently being used for remediation of the Winterfell-3 well. Winterfell-3 is expected online later this quarter with Winterfell-4 expected online in the third quarter.
On Tiberius, Kosmos continues to progress the development and expects to complete a farm down of the field around the time of project sanction.
Kosmos has an attractive portfolio of infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) opportunities that we will high-grade through 2025.
Equatorial Guinea
Production in Equatorial Guinea averaged approximately 28,500 bopd gross and 10,000 bopd net in the fourth quarter. Kosmos lifted one cargo from Equatorial Guinea during the quarter, in line with guidance. The Noble Venturer rig successfully completed the infill drilling campaign with both wells now online.
The drilling campaign also included drilling of the S-6 "Akeng Deep" ILX prospect in Block S offshore Equatorial Guinea in the fourth quarter of 2024. The well was drilled to a total vertical depth of approximately 13,225 feet (~4030 meters) and encountered sub-commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. Kosmos recorded $28 million of exploration expense related to the well in the fourth quarter and the well has now been plugged and abandoned. Kosmos also wrote off $37.2 million of exploration expense off related to the Asam discovery in Block S offshore Equatorial Guinea which was successfully drilled in 2019, but is now not expected to be developed in the near-term.
Mauritania and Senegal
The GTA LNG project achieved first gas production during the fourth quarter, a significant milestone for the project partners and the governments and people of Mauritania and Senegal, establishing a new LNG production hub in the Atlantic basin.
Post quarter-end, the project achieved first LNG production, another key milestone, which is when Kosmos will now start to recognize entitlement production. The first LNG cargo is expected later this quarter, with an LNG tanker currently standing by the Hub Terminal ready for loading. Loading the first cargo is when the partnership will start to recognize revenue from the project.
In addition, the partnership is working collaboratively to prioritize both the low-cost brownfield expansion of the development to fully utilize the existing infrastructure, and future cost optimization for the first phase of GTA with the near-term focus on the re-financing of the FPSO leaseback arrangement.
(1) A Non-GAAP measure.
(2) Production means net entitlement volumes. In Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, this means those volumes net to Kosmos' working interest or participating interest and net of royalty or production sharing contract effect. In the Gulf of America, this means those volumes net to Kosmos' working interest and net of royalty.
KeyFacts Energy: Kosmos Energy US country profile