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Oil and Gas Discussion BB
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Corridor taken over and recapitalized by Roszell & friendsCALGARY, Jan. 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Corridor Resources Inc. ("Corridor" or the "Company") (CDH: TSX) is pleased to announce it has entered into a definitive investment agreement (the "Investment Agreement") with Neil Roszell, Jason Jaskela, Ali Horvath, Jonathan Grimwood and Terry Danku (the "Initial Investors") which provides for: (i) a non-brokered private placement of units of Corridor (the "Units") for gross proceeds of $20.0 million (the "Non-Brokered Private Placement"); (ii) a brokered private placement of common shares of Corridor ("Common Shares") for gross proceeds of up to $30.0 million (the "Brokered Private Placement" and together with the Non-Brokered Private Placement, the "Private Placements"); (iii) the appointment of a new management team (the "New Management Team") and the reconstitution of the board of directors of Corridor (the "Corridor Board") (collectively, the "Transaction"). The Private Placements are being completed at $0.92 per Unit and $0.92 per Common Share representing an approximate 8% premium to the volume weighted average trading price ("VWAP") for the five trading days prior to the date hereof and an approximate 20% premium to the VWAP for the 20 trading days prior to the date hereof. Following completion of the Transaction, it is expected that the name of the Company will be changed to "Headwater Exploration Inc.", subject to receiving the necessary shareholder approvals. The New Management Team will be led by Neil Roszell as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jason Jaskela as President and Chief Operating Officer, Ali Horvath as Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Grimwood as Vice-President, Exploration and Terry Danku as Vice-President, Engineering. "This is an exceptional opportunity to invest in a company with a material cash position and strategic assets that provide significant free cash flow at current commodity prices" said Neil Roszell. "The Headwater management team is energized and truly believes that the Corridor platform can lead us into becoming a leading Canadian energy producer". Upon completion of the Transaction, the Initial Investors and Corridor have agreed that the Corridor Board will be reconstituted and shall consist of two of the Initial Investors, Neil Roszell and Jason Jaskela, two members of the existing Corridor Board, Phillip Knoll and Martin Fräss-Ehrfeld, and four new independent directors, Chandra Henry, Kevin Olson, Stephen Larke and Dave Pearce. Edward (Ted) Brown, a partner with Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP, will act as Corporate Secretary. New Management Team The New Management Team has a long track record of creating value across several commodity cycles in growth-oriented oil and gas companies through a disciplined financial and operational strategy of exploitation and acquisition. Most recently, the New Management Team led Raging River Exploration Inc. ("Raging River"), a light oil producer focused in the Viking formation in Southwest Saskatchewan and Southeast Alberta, growing from 1,000 boe/d in 2012 to 24,000 boe/d prior to the sale to Baytex Energy Corp. in August of 2018. During a period of unprecedented volatility and change in the Canadian energy industry, the Raging River management team was able to deliver returns that significantly outpaced the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index. Prior to Raging River, certain members of the New Management Team grew Wild Stream Exploration Inc. ("Wild Stream"), a light oil focused producer in Southwest Saskatchewan, from 350 boe/d to 6,400 boe/d prior to its sale in 2012. Prior to Wild Stream, certain members of the New Management Team grew Wild River Resources Inc. ("Wild River"), a private company focused in the Lower Shaunavon formation of Southwest Saskatchewan, from 0 boe/d to 2,000 boe/d in 2 years prior to its sale in 2009. Both Wild Stream and Wild River delivered significant returns to their shareholders that materially outpaced the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index.
New and Continuing Board The members of the Corridor Board have strong track records and collectively have significant experience in the oil and gas industry, corporate finance, capital markets and environmental, social and governance matters.
Corporate Strategy The New Management Team believes current market conditions in the Canadian energy sector provide an ideal entry point for a well capitalized company. The under-appreciated assets of Corridor, including its positive estimated adjusted working capital balance of approximately $64.7 million as at December 31, 2019, stable field-based cash flow of $7 to $9 million per year and strong tax pool balance of approximately $160 million as at September 30, 2019 provide an ideal platform to build a leading Canadian energy producer. The market price for assets relative to net asset value has only been this low twice in the last 20 years as a direct result of the current scarcity of capital available for the sector. Corridor's adjusted working capital balance, anticipated to be $110 million at close, will allow the Company to first, take advantage of mispriced assets and second, unlock the value of the assets through disciplined capital allocation and greenfield development. The New Management Team intends to take a unique approach to oil and gas development, which will include giving full cycle consideration to profitably reducing emissions and water-use while appropriately stewarding all abandonment obligations. This will be combined with an approach consistent with their historical successes of generating strong earnings, return on capital employed and free cash flow. The New Management Team believes this will allow Corridor to flourish through the entire business cycle. Upon completion of the Transaction and in conjunction with the next annual general meeting, it is expected that the shareholders of Corridor will be asked to approve amongst other items: (i) a change of Corridor's name to "Headwater Exploration Inc."; and (ii) a consolidation of the Common Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Common Share for every three pre-consolidation Common Shares. Corridor Strategic Asset Base Corridor currently has strategic natural gas production and reserves in the McCully Field near Sussex, New Brunswick that supply a portion of Atlantic Canada's natural gas needs. Corridor owns and operates a 49 km pipeline lateral to the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline and a natural gas processing facility with 35 mmcf/d (5,800 boe/d) of processing capacity. The McCully Field is strategically produced primarily in the winter months at anticipated average rates of approximately 7.5-8.0 mmcf/d (net to Corridor) in the 2019–2020 winter season. The McCully Field remains shut in for the balance of the year. The winter production cycle allows revenue maximization during peak demand months when Corridor typically receives a significant premium to Nymex Henry Hub gas pricing. Atlantic Canada remains undersupplied by regional gas by approximately 140 mmcf/d. The New Management Team believes this allows for unabated growth in McCully Field gas supply. In June 2019, the New Brunswick Government issued an order-in-council that permits the Minister of Energy & Resource Development to exempt Corridor's McCully Field from the province-wide fracking moratorium. The New Management Team intends to engage in First Nations consultation and pursue such exemption, allowing Corridor to continue the development of the McCully Field. The New Management Team has identified numerous drilling and recompletion projects that can significantly increase production from the McCully Field to the benefit of Atlantic Canadians. Private Placements Pursuant to the Non-Brokered Private Placement, the Initial Investors, together with additional subscribers identified by the Initial Investors, will subscribe for 21,739,130 Units at a price of $0.92 per unit for aggregate proceeds of $20.0 million. Each Unit will be comprised of one Common Share and one warrant ("Warrant") entitling the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.92 per Common Share for a period of 4 years from the issuance date. The Warrants will vest and become exercisable as to one-third upon the 20 day VWAP of the Common Shares (the "Market Price") equalling or exceeding $1.30 per Common Share, an additional one-third upon the Market Price equalling or exceeding $1.60 per Common Share and a final one-third upon the Market Price equalling or exceeding $1.90 per share. Concurrent with the Non-Brokered Private Placement, the Brokered Private Placement will be completed with a syndicate of dealers co-led by Stifel FirstEnergy and National Bank Financial Inc. and including Peters & Co. Limited for a minimum of 21,739,130 Common Shares and a maximum of 32,608,696 Common Shares at a price of $0.92 per share for a minimum gross proceeds of $20 million and a maximum aggregate gross proceeds of $30 million. Proceeds from the Private Placements will be used to enhance Corridor's existing strong working capital position and ultimately for acquisition, development and greenfield drilling opportunities. Upon completion of the Private Placements, assuming the maximum number of Common Shares is issued, Corridor will have approximately 144.4 million basic Common Shares and 167.3 million fully diluted Common Shares. The Common Shares and Warrants issued in connection with the Private Placements, and the Common Shares issuable on exercise of the Warrants, will be subject to a Canadian statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the closing of the Private Placements in accordance with applicable securities legislation. Completion of the Transaction, including the Private Placements, is subject to certain conditions, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange, and is expected to occur on or about February 4, 2020 assuming all conditions have been met by such day. The resignation of the non-continuing members of the Corridor Board and management team of Corridor and the appointment of the New Management Team and new members of the Corridor Board will occur concurrently with closing of the Transaction. The Transaction is not expected to materially affect control of Corridor nor create a new control person of Corridor. Corridor Board Recommendation After receiving the advice of its financial and legal advisors, the Corridor Board has unanimously approved the Transaction and determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Corridor. As a result of entering into the Investment Agreement, the Corridor Board has discontinued its strategic alternatives review process that it commenced in October 2019. Steve Moran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Corridor commented: "We believe that the Transaction is transformative for Corridor and its shareholders, combining the strength of our existing financial position and cash flow generating asset with the proven expertise of Neil Roszell and his team." Advisors National Bank Financial Inc. is acting as the lead financial advisor to the New Management Team and Stifel FirstEnergy is acting as financial advisor in connection with the Transaction. Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP is acting as counsel to the Initial Investors and will act as counsel to the recapitalized Company upon completion of the Transaction. RBC Capital Markets is acting as financial advisor to Corridor in connection with the Transaction. Bennett Jones LLP is acting as counsel to Corridor in connection with the Transaction. Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as counsel to the agents in respect of the Brokered Private Placement. |
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