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quarterly production totaled 37,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd),
up 158 percent, with Kurdistan contributing 19,500 boepd, North Sea 14,300 boepd
and West Africa the balance. Operating profit stood at USD 40 million, reversing
a loss of USD 15 million in the second quarter. Net loss of USD 55 million was
driven by an accounting adjustment of USD 45 million in the book value of the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) arrears.
Following closure of the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline last March, the Company gradually
reopened the Tawke and Peshkabir fields (DNO 75 percent and Genel Energy
International Ltd 25 percent) and stepped up deliveries to local trading
companies in Kurdistan. Production continues to increase; so far in the fourth
quarter output is averaging double the level of the third quarter.
The DNO-Genel contractual entitlement, currently around one-half of volumes
produced, is sold at prices that vary narrowly in the mid USD 30s per barrel,
and payments are made in advance before any oil is delivered.
DNO has over the last 12 months recovered around USD 15 million, including USD
8 million in October, of the accumulated KRG debt to DNO for previous oil sales
in 2022 and 2023 (in excess of USD 300 million).
“As the Middle East becomes more challenging, we continue to build up our North
Sea portfolio,” said DNO Executive Chairman Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani. 'Even as we
demonstrate the resilience of DNO’s business model in Kurdistan by reducing
costs and stepping up local sales, we create value in the North Sea through
exploration", he added. “It is quite a balancing act across different geographic
and geopolitical landscapes and not many of our peers can pull it off.”
Offshore Norway, DNO participated last quarter in the Carmen discovery (30
percent), the country’s largest in a decade, and in the DNO-operated Norma well
(30 percent interest), a play-opening discovery located near existing
infrastructure 20 kilometers northwest of the Balder hub and 30 kilometers south
of the Alvheim hub. To date this year, the Company has participated in
discoveries totaling 100 million barrels of oil equivalent net to DNO.
At the earlier discoveries, Ofelia (DNO 10 percent) and Bergknapp (DNO 30
percent), drilling of appraisal wells are currently ongoing, with coring and
logging operations underway at both wells.
Last week, the UK government’s North Sea Transition Authority awarded 27 new
licences in the 33rd Offshore Licensing Round in areas prioritised because of
the potential to be brought into production more quickly than other assets. DNO
announced has been awarded a 50 percent operated interest in Blocks
9/9f, 9/10c, 9/14c and 9/15d. Aker BP UK Ltd will hold the remaining 50 percent
in the licensed area, adjacent to the Norwegian border and just west of the Aker
BP operated Alvheim hub on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Meanwhile, according to a recent statement by the Prime Minister of Iraq,
Baghdad and Ankara are prepared to recommence flows from Kurdistan as soon as
certain unspecified agreements between the international oil companies and Iraq
and Erbil are reached. In response, the Association of the Petroleum Industry of
Kurdistan (APIKUR), of which DNO is one of six members, has stated that the
member companies will not be in a position to produce oil for pipeline exports
until it is clear how they will be paid for their contractual entitlements of
oil already sold and delivered for export and for future sales of such oil for
export. APIKUR members are owed nearly USD 1 billion in overdue and unpaid
arrears.
Projected total 2023 operational spend across the Company is reduced by USD 40
million to USD 550 million, of which USD 418 million (76 percent) have been
incurred as of end Q3 2023. The reduction is largely due to stronger USD/NOK
exchange rate impacting NOK denominated spending in the North Sea and further
reductions in ongoing costs in Kurdistan. All operational spend in Kurdistan was
covered by revenue from local sales in Q3 2023, plus USD 20 million towards
DNO’s own arrears to contractors and services companies for previously incurred
expenditures pursuant to an earlier agreed monthly payment plan. As of the end
of the quarter, USD 20 million remained to be paid.
The balance sheet remains strong with an equity ratio of 48 percent as the
Company exited the quarter with cash deposits of USD 708 million and net cash of
USD 142 million.
The Board of Directors has authorized dividend payment of NOK 0.25 per share to
be made on or about 24 November 2023, maintaining the Company’s quarterly
distribution program.
A videoconference call with executive management will follow today at 10:00
(CET). Please visit www.dno.no to access the call.
Key figures
Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Full-Year 2022
Gross operated production (boepd) 25,984 65 107,637
Net production (boepd) 37,150 14,417 97,310
Revenues (USD million) 141 58 1,377
Operating profit/-loss (USD million) 40 -15 431
Net profit/-loss (USD million) -55 -19 385
Free cash flow (USD million) -6 -144 619
Net cash/-debt (USD million) 142 177 388
For further information, please contact:
Media: media@dno.no
Investors: investor.relations@dno.no
DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator active in the Middle East, the North
Sea and West Africa. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the
Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of
exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway,
the United Kingdom, Côte d’Ivoire, Netherlands and Yemen.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section
5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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