LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Jan. 23, 2013) -
THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
Heritage Oil Plc ("Heritage" or the "Company") (TSX:HOC)(LSE:HOIL), an independent upstream exploration and production company, today announces that it has completed the previously announced disposal of the remaining 49% interest in the Miran Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ("Kurdistan").
On 12 November 2012, Heritage issued the Exchange Repayment Notice signifying the intention to repay the $294 million loan made by Genel Energy plc to Heritage in August 2012 through the transfer of Heritage's remaining 49% participating interest. Completion of the sale was subject to the approval of Heritage's shareholders, which was received overwhelmingly at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 12 December 2012. Completion was also subject to other customary closing conditions including relevant approvals being granted by the Regional Council for the Oil and Gas Affairs of Kurdistan, which have been received.
Following completion and receipt of formal approval of the transfer by the Regional Council, Heritage no longer has an interest in Kurdistan.
Tony Buckingham, Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"We are delighted to have received final approval for the disposal which means we have not only monetised the asset at an attractive valuation but have also used the proceeds to fund a significant part of our entry into a new region through the recent acquisition of a major interest in OML 30, Nigeria. This brings the total disposal proceeds generated by Heritage from asset sales to over $2 billion."
Notes to Editors
-- Heritage is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and
is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The trading symbol is HOIL.
Heritage has a further listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:HOC).
-- Heritage is an independent upstream exploration and production company
engaged in the exploration for, and the development, production and
acquisition of, oil and gas in its core areas of Africa, the Middle East
and Russia.
-- Heritage has producing assets in Nigeria and Russia and exploration
assets in Malta, Tanzania, Pakistan and Libya.
-- OML 30, Nigeria, is located onshore in the delta region, covers 1,097
square kilometres and includes eight producing fields with oil and gas
contained in numerous stacked reservoirs. The licence includes a 45%
interest in the segment of the Trans Forcados pipeline between the
Eriemu Manifold and the Forcados River Manifold.
-- All dollars are US$ unless otherwise stated.
-- For further information please refer to our website,
www.heritageoilplc.com.
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jeanny@chfir.com) and specify "Heritage press releases" in the subject line.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:
Except for statements of historical fact, all statements in this news release - including, without limitation, statements regarding production estimates and future plans and objectives of Heritage - constitute forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties such as: risks relating to estimates of reserves and recoveries; production and operating cost assumptions; development risks and costs; the risk of commodity price fluctuations; political and regulatory risks; and other risks and uncertainties as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its Prospectus dated 6 August 2012, as supplemented by a supplementary prospectus dated 23 August 2012, and elsewhere in Heritage documents filed from time-to-time with the London Stock Exchange and other regulatory authorities. Further, any forward-looking information is made only as of a certain date and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management of the Company to predict all of these factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking information.