GAS INDUSTRY – AUSTRALIA

Beach ponders acquisition within next six months

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 29-Jul-16

Beach Energy has reported that the lower crude oil price resulted in its 2015-16 sales falling by 23.3 per cent, to $A558 million. Full-year production totalled 9.66 barrels of oil equivalent. The group posted sales revenue of $A16.6m for the June quarter, and production for the period rose by 13 per cent to 2.7 million. Beach has also advised that it expects capital expenditure to be within the range of $A180m to $A200m in 2016-17, while it aims to finalise an acquisition in the next six months.

CORPORATES
BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Investors puzzled as AWE rejects Lone Star bid

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 18 & 31 : 12-May-16

Shares in oil and gas producer AWE Limited closed 16 per cent higher at $A0.715 on 11 May 2016, after directors spurned an unsolicited takeover approach from a US private equity firm. Lone Star has offered $A0.80 per share, valuing the bid at $A420m, but AWE has described it as "opportunistic". The board was also concerned about some of the conditions attached to the bid, including a requirement for exclusivity. AWE’s shares have traded at an average of $A0.50 for much of 2016.

CORPORATES
AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, LONE STAR FUNDS, LONE STAR JAPAN ACQUISITIONS LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, PEMBROKE RESOURCES PTY LTD, PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION, PENGANA GLOBAL RESOURCES FUND, PENGANA CAPITAL LIMITED, CUE ENERGY RESOURCES NL – ASX CUE, ELLERSTON CAPITAL PTY LTD, PERENNIAL INVESTMENT PARTNERS LIMITED, ANTARES ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AZZ

RIP for CSG as AGL exits

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 : 5-Feb-16

AGL Energy will write down the value of its coal seam gas assets by $A795m after announcing that it will cease all gas exploration and production. AGL will not proceed with the $A1bn Gloucester CSG project in New South Wales, while it will terminate production at the Camden project 12 years ahead of schedule in 2023. MD Andy Vesey has attributed the decision to exit the gas sector to factors such as the fall in commodity prices and lower demand for gas in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, THE GREENS NSW INCORPORATED, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, ARROW ENERGY LIMITED, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD

More oil, gas write-downs set to follow BHP’s lead

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 18-Jan-16

The downturn in the crude oil price prompted a number of Australian-listed energy groups to announce write-downs in 2015. The price of Brent crude oil closed at $US28.94 per barrel on 15 January 2016, coinciding with BHP Billiton’s announcement that its 2015-16 interim results are likely to include a $US7.2bn impairment charge on its oil and gas assets. Mark Busuttil of JP Morgan has forecast that Santos could announce a pre-tax write-off of about $A2bn.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, SENEX ENERGY LIMITED – ASX SXY, AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX DLS, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, BLOOMBERG LP, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BG GROUP PLC, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED

Woodside aims to pounce on ‘crown jewels’

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 20-Aug-15

Low commodity prices may eventually force stressed companies to put their "crown jewels" on the market, at which time Woodside Petroleum will be ready to pounce, says CEO Peter Coleman. Meanwhile, he will not risk precious cash on lower quality assets. Despite reporting a 39 per cent drop in first half profits due to the collapse in oil and LNG prices, Woodside has little debt, making it well placed to take advantage of takeover opportunities.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, BT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE EQUITIES LIMITED, APACHE CORPORATION, CHEVRON CORPORATION

Weak gas prices trigger AGL shift

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Jul-15

AGL Energy will not proceed with the Hunter coal-seam gas project in New South Wales or the expansion of its Camden project. However, AGL will press ahead with its Gloucester coal-seam project, despite a $A275m impairment charge that has reduced the value of the project to $A131m. AGL has revealed total writedowns in excess of $A600m after a review of its gas assets. AGL plans to sell some oil and gas assets, and it will no longer aim to derive 50 per cent of the gas supplied to customers from its own resources.

CORPORATES
AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, ESSO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Farmers may profit from gas

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1-Jun : 25-Jun-14

Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has argued that the current friction between farmers and the gas sector especially in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria could be addressed by giving the former a share of the royalties. While this would overturn the long-held legal position that rural landholders do not own the resources below the ground, an access and royalty sharing regime has already been negotiated in Queensland. Santos and AGL Energy have also struck similar deals in NSW, but have upset their rivals with the move. Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce backs the push as well. Meanwhile Macfarlane says there will be no domestic gas reservation policy

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGK, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA, TRANSFIELD SERVICES LIMITED – ASX TSE, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED