Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM, the U.S. oil and gas major, has signed a deal with Horizon Oil Limited, an Australian upstream firm, to divest some of its assets in Thailand. ExxonMobil shall divest its stakes in three development licenses onshore Thailand.

Horizon’s Stake in the Gas Fields

Per the terms of the deal, Horizon will own a 60% stake in the E5 block, which includes the Nam Phong conventional gas field. The Australian energy company will also gain a 7.5% stake in blocks E5N and EU1. These blocks hold the Sinphuhorm conventional gas and condensate field. Both Nam Phong and Sinphuhorm fields are producing assets.

Consortium Structure and Partnership With Matahio Energy

Horizon mentioned that the acquisition will be completed via a consortium, where it will be taking over three-fourths of the shares of Exxon Mobil Exploration and Production Khorat Inc. (“EMEPKI”). The rest of the shares will be acquired by Matahio Energy. This deal also marks Horizon’s return to Thailand’s energy sector.

Impact on Horizon’s Production and Reserves

The acquisition has boosted Horizon’s asset portfolio, raising its net production by approximately 2,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day. Furthermore, its proved and probable reserves also increased 3.9 million boe, based on the January estimates. The company also mentioned that the gas from the fields is already under contract by Thailand’s state-owned energy firm, PTT. The gas from the fields has been secured for a long time for use at a regional power station, ensuring steady demand.

Horizon Oil believes that it can potentially increase the value of the fields by extending their operational lifespan. The company is considering infrill drilling, i.e., drilling more wells at the fields and upgrading the facilities at the sites. This should also help optimize operations at the fields, increasing production efficiency. Alongside, the company plans on leveraging additional opportunities from both the producing assets.

Financial Structure of the Deal

According to Horizon, the deal to acquire 75% of EMEPKI will involve an upfront cash consideration of $30 million. Furthermore, Horizon will pay up to an additional $7.5 million over six years in contingent payments. However, this additional amount is subject to certain conditions. A major portion of the upfront cash consideration will be funded from its existing Macquarie Bank debt facility. Horizon stated that an approved amendment was made to the credit facility that should expand its debt capacity, facilitating an additional borrowing of up to approximately $22 million for the acquisition. Additionally, Horizon should have access to $10 million in financing, which will be made available following the closing of the acquisition.

Matahio Energy will assume the operatorship of the Nam Phong gas field and will also be responsible for managing the workforce within the consortium. Horizon will act as a non-operator in the blocks. It mentioned that by collaborating with Matahio Energy, the deal has been structured in a way that leverages its strengths and expertise. The investment requires minimal capital spending, making it financially efficient and right-sized for the company. Additionally, Horizon gained access to the upside potential associated with the fields.

XOM’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

XOM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the energy sector are Archrock Inc. AROC, Nine Energy Service NINE and NextDecade Corporation NEXT. While Archrock currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Nine Energy and NextDecade carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Archrock is an energy infrastructure company based in the United States with a focus on midstream natural gas compression. It provides natural gas contract compression services and generates stable fee-based revenues.

Nine Energy Service provides onshore completion and production services for unconventional oil and gas resource development. The company operates across key prolific basins in the United States, including the Permian, Eagle Ford, MidCon, Barnett, Bakken, Rockies, Marcellus and Utica, as well as throughout Canada. With a sustained demand for oil and gas in the future, the need for NINE’s services is anticipated to increase, positioning the company for growth in the long run.

NextDecade is an emerging player in the LNG space with its Rio Grande LNG project in Texas. The demand for LNG as a clean-burning fuel continues to grow, and the commodity is expected to play a crucial role in the energy transition process. The company’s focus on expanding its liquefaction capacity is expected to enhance its position in the rapidly growing global LNG market, enabling it to meet the rising demand for natural gas.

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