CALGARY, AB–(Marketwired – October 27, 2016) – MEG Energy Corp. (TSX: MEG) today reported third quarter 2016 operating and financial results. Highlights include:
- Near-record production volumes of 83,404 barrels per day (bpd);
- Cash flow from operations of $23 million, or $0.10 per share;
- Record low non-energy operating costs of $5.32 per barrel, supporting net operating costs of $7.76 per barrel;
- Record low general and administrative expenses of $2.94 per barrel, a 21% reduction from the third quarter of 2015;
- Reduced 2016 non-energy operating cost guidance to $5.75 to $6.50 per barrel, approximately 16% below the original estimate of $6.75 to $7.75 per barrel;
- The 2016 capital program has been revised downwards to $140 million from the original budget of $328 million, while maintaining production guidance;
- Solid financial liquidity, exiting the quarter with $103 million of cash and cash equivalents and an undrawn US$2.5 billion revolving credit facility.
“Our quarterly results are a demonstration of MEG’s increasing capacity to sustain the company in a challenging commodity price environment, through continued technological advancement and reductions in our overall cost base,” said Bill McCaffrey, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are seeing record low per barrel non-energy operating and general and administrative costs. These cost reductions were supported by third quarter production levels which are the second best in MEG’s history.”
MEG recorded production of 83,404 bpd in the third quarter of 2016, compared to production of 82,768 bpd in the third quarter of 2015. MEG expects to meet its 2016 production guidance of 80,000 to 83,000 bpd.
Related net operating costs for the third quarter were $7.76 per barrel compared to $9.10 per barrel in the third quarter of 2015. Non-energy operating costs (which exclude natural gas consumption) were $5.32 per barrel, an 11% improvement from the same period in 2015. The significant decrease in net operating costs reflects the ongoing efficiency gains from the application of eMSAGP, which is being fully deployed across the company’s Phase 2 operations. Net operating costs also benefited from a decrease in the usage and cost of natural gas used to fuel the company’s SAGD facilities. MEG’s steam to oil ratio (SOR) averaged 2.2 during the third quarter of 2016, compared to an SOR of 2.5 for the third quarter of 2015.
High production volumes and low operating and general and administrative costs contributed to cash flow from operations of $23 million for the third quarter of 2016, despite the current commodity price environment. Cash flow from operations was relatively stable from $24 million in the third quarter of 2015.
MEG recognized an operating loss of $88 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to an operating loss of $87 million in the same period of 2015.
At the end of the third quarter, MEG had $103 million of cash and cash equivalents on hand. At current strip prices, MEG anticipates its US$2.5 billion revolving credit facility will remain undrawn at the end of 2016.
Capital investment for the third quarter totaled $19 million, bringing total capital invested for 2016 to date to $74 million. As a result of the ongoing efficiency gains achieved through the application of eMSAGP, MEG anticipates it will achieve its sustaining and maintenance, marketing and other initiatives in 2016 with an investment of $140 million, 18% below the reduced capital investment of $170 million announced in April.
“We are continuing to make incremental reductions in costs across the business,” says McCaffrey. “Our advances in technology have enabled MEG to increase production while reducing our capital and operating costs.”
Operational and Financial Highlights
The following table summarizes selected operational and financial information of the Corporation for the periods noted. All dollar amounts are stated in Canadian dollars ($ or C$) unless otherwise noted:
Nine months ended September 30 |
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
($ millions, except as indicated) | 2016 | 2015 | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Bitumen production – bbls/d | 81,065 | 78,849 | 83,404 | 83,127 | 76,640 | 83,514 | 82,768 | 71,376 | 82,398 | 80,349 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Bitumen realization – $/bbl | 24.91 | 33.20 | 30.98 | 30.93 | 11.43 | 23.17 | 31.03 | 44.54 | 25.82 | 50.48 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net operating costs – $/bbl(1) | 7.89 | 9.69 | 7.76 | 7.43 | 8.53 | 8.52 | 9.10 | 9.43 | 10.49 | 10.13 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Non-energy operating costs – $/bbl | 5.83 | 6.84 | 5.32 | 5.81 | 6.45 | 5.66 | 5.98 | 7.01 | 7.57 | 6.42 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Cash operating netback – $/bbl(2) | 10.18 | 18.01 | 16.74 | 16.09 | (3.71 | ) | 9.05 | 16.41 | 29.64 | 9.83 | 35.56 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cash flow from (used in) operations(3) | (102 | ) | 94 | 23 | 7 | (131 | ) | (44 | ) | 24 | 99 | (30 | ) | 134 | |||||||||||||||||
Per share, diluted(3) | (0.45 | ) | 0.42 | 0.10 | 0.03 | (0.58 | ) | (0.20 | ) | 0.11 | 0.44 | (0.13 | ) | 0.60 | |||||||||||||||||
Operating earnings (loss)(3) | (383 | ) | (234 | ) | (88 | ) | (98 | ) | (197 | ) | (140 | ) | (87 | ) | (23 | ) | (124 | ) | 8 | ||||||||||||
Per share, diluted(3) | (1.70 | ) | (1.04 | ) | (0.39 | ) | (0.43 | ) | (0.88 | ) | (0.62 | ) | (0.39 | ) | (0.10 | ) | (0.56 | ) | 0.04 | ||||||||||||
Revenue(4) | 1,301 | 1,481 | 497 | 513 | 290 | 445 | 460 | 555 | 467 | 615 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net earnings (loss)(5) | (124 | ) | (872 | ) | (109 | ) | (146 | ) | 131 | (297 | ) | (428 | ) | 63 | (508 | ) | (150 | ) | |||||||||||||
Per share, basic | (0.55 | ) | (3.89 | ) | (0.48 | ) | (0.65 | ) | 0.58 | (1.32 | ) | (1.90 | ) | 0.28 | (2.27 | ) | (0.67 | ) | |||||||||||||
Per share, diluted | (0.55 | ) | (3.89 | ) | (0.48 | ) | (0.65 | ) | 0.58 | (1.32 | ) | (1.90 | ) | 0.28 | (2.27 | ) | (0.67 | ) | |||||||||||||
Total cash capital investment(6) | 74 | 203 | 19 | 20 | 35 | 54 | 32 | 90 | 80 | 324 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 103 | 351 | 103 | 153 | 125 | 408 | 351 | 438 | 471 | 656 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Long-term debt | 4,910 | 5,024 | 4,910 | 4,871 | 4,859 | 5,190 | 5,024 | 4,678 | 4,759 | 4,350 | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Net operating costs include energy and non-energy operating costs, reduced by power revenue.
- Cash operating netbacks are calculated by deducting the related diluent expense, transportation, operating expenses, royalties and realized commodity risk management gains (losses) from proprietary blend revenues and power revenues, on a per barrel of bitumen sales volume basis.
- Cash flow from (used in) operations, Operating earnings (loss) and the related per share amounts do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, the non-GAAP measure of cash flow from (used in) operations is reconciled to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities and the non-GAAP measure of operating loss is reconciled to net loss in accordance with IFRS under the heading “NON-GAAP MEASURES” and discussed further in the “ADVISORY” section.
- The total of Petroleum revenue, net of royalties and Other revenue as presented on the Interim Consolidated Statement of Earnings (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss).
- Includes a net unrealized foreign exchange loss of $38.7 million and a net unrealized foreign exchange gain of $267.8 million on the Corporation’s U.S. dollar denominated debt and U.S. dollar denominated cash and cash equivalents for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. The net losses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 include net unrealized foreign exchange losses of $330.5 million and $626.3 million, respectively.
- Defined as total capital investment excluding dispositions, capitalized interest and non-cash items.
ADVISORY
Basis of Presentation
MEG prepares its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and presents financial results in Canadian dollars ($ or C$), which is the Corporation’s functional currency.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This document includes references to financial measures commonly used in the crude oil and natural gas industry, such as cash flow from (used in) operations and operating earnings (loss). These financial measures are not defined by IFRS as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and therefore are referred to as non-GAAP measures. The non-GAAP measures used by MEG may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. MEG uses these non-GAAP measures to help evaluate its performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to or more meaningful than net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or net earnings (loss), as determined in accordance with IFRS, as an indication of MEG’s performance.
Cash Flow from (Used in) Operations
Cash flow from (used in) operations is a non-GAAP measure utilized by the Corporation to analyze operating performance and liquidity. Cash flow from (used in) operations excludes the net change in non-cash operating working capital, net change in other liabilities, contract cancellation recovery and decommissioning expenditures, while the IFRS measurement “net cash provided by (used in) operating activities” includes these items. Cash flow from (used in) operations is reconciled to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities in the table below.
Three months ended September 30 | Nine months ended September 30 | ||||||||||||||||
($000) | 2016 | 2015 | 2016 | 2015 | |||||||||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | $ | (19,894 | ) | $ | (5,188 | ) | $ | (175,978 | ) | $ | 99,631 | ||||||
Adjustments: | |||||||||||||||||
Net change in non-cash operating working capital items | 45,492 | 28,887 | 76,409 | (1,594 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net change in other liabilities | (2,995 | ) | – | (3,100 | ) | – | |||||||||||
Contract cancellation recovery | – | – | – | (5,880 | ) | ||||||||||||
Decommissioning expenditures | 99 | 178 | 1,095 | 1,429 | |||||||||||||
Cash flow from (used in) operations | $ | 22,702 | $ | 23,877 | $ | (101,574 | ) | $ | 93,586 | ||||||||
Operating Loss
Operating loss is a non-GAAP measure which the Corporation uses as a performance measure to provide comparability of financial performance between periods by excluding non-operating items. Operating loss is defined as net loss as reported, excluding unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses, unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, unrealized gains and losses on risk management, contract cancellation recovery, onerous contracts and the respective deferred tax impact of these adjustments. Operating loss is reconciled to “net loss”, the nearest IFRS measure, in the table below.
Three months ended September 30 | Nine months ended September 30 | ||||||||||||||||
($000) | 2016 | 2015 | 2016 | 2015 | |||||||||||||
Net loss | $ | (108,632 | ) | $ | (427,503 | ) | $ | (123,968 | ) | $ | (872,396 | ) | |||||
Adjustments: | |||||||||||||||||
Unrealized net loss (gain) on foreign exchange(1) | 38,729 | 330,478 | (267,763 | ) | 626,301 | ||||||||||||
Unrealized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments(2) | (11,367 | ) | 6,807 | (5,362 | ) | 2,600 | |||||||||||
Unrealized gain on risk management(3) | (32,207 | ) | – | (11,736 | ) | – | |||||||||||
Contract cancellation recovery | – | – | – | (5,880 | ) | ||||||||||||
Onerous contracts expense(4) | 18,057 | – | 31,483 | – | |||||||||||||
Deferred tax expense (recovery) relating to these adjustments | 7,491 | 3,449 | (5,763 | ) | 15,235 | ||||||||||||
Operating loss | $ | (87,929 | ) | $ | (86,769 | ) | $ | (383,109 | ) | $ | (234,140 | ) | |||||
- Unrealized net foreign exchange gains and losses result from the translation of U.S. dollar denominated long-term debt and cash and cash equivalents using period-end exchange rates.
- Unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments result from the interest rate floor on the Corporation’s long-term debt and interest rate swaps entered into to effectively fix a portion of its variable rate long-term debt.
- Unrealized gains or losses on commodity risk management contracts represent the change in the mark-to-market position of the unsettled commodity risk management contracts during the period.
- During 2016, onerous contracts expenses were recognized primarily related to changes in estimated future cash flows related to the onerous office lease provision.