Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (“
Gran Tierra” or the
“
Company”)
(NYSE American:GTE) (TSX:GTE)
(LSE:GTE) today announced the issuance of
US$487,590,000 aggregate principal amount of its 9.500% Senior
Secured Amortizing Notes due 2029 (the “
New
Notes”) as part of its previously announced offers to
exchange (such offers, the “
Exchange Offers”) the
6.250% Senior Notes due 2025 (the
“
2025 Notes”), issued by Gran Tierra Energy
International Holdings Ltd., and the 7.750% Senior Notes due
2027 (the “
2027 Notes”), issued by the
Company.
Gary Guidry, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Gran Tierra, commented:
“We are very pleased with the successful
completion of the Exchange Offers which we believe is highly
beneficial for both Gran Tierra and our stakeholders. The Company’s
balance sheet is now stronger due to an improved amortization
schedule, less restrictive conditions, and overall reduced
leverage. The Exchange Offers, in tandem with our solid operating
cash flow, provide additional financial flexibility and a stronger
platform, as the Company continues to execute its strategy of
delivering profitable production growth, free cash flow generation
and value creation for stakeholders. Our mandate to develop
high-value resource opportunities to deliver top-quartile returns
remains unchanged. We intend to continue to high-grade our
portfolio through our integrated strategy of acquiring, exploring,
developing, producing, and enhancing high-quality oil and gas
assets. We appreciate the support received from our bond investor
base as we believe it demonstrates the underlying confidence in
Gran Tierra’s producing assets as well as our business strategy,
especially in today’s volatile markets.”
Benefits of the Exchange Offers include:
- Maturities
Extension: The issuance of the New Notes results in an
extension of maturity to 2029. The New Notes also reduce Gran
Tierra’s refinancing risk by flattening the debt principal
repayments by amortizing the repayments over a longer period. The
New Notes’ principal repayment schedule also better aligns with the
Company’s projected cash flows.
- Financial
Flexibility: The Exchange Offers unlock capital for
strategic uses and provides additional flexibility on capital
allocation including capital expenditures required for organic
growth, mergers and acquisitions activities, and potential
shareholder returns via share buybacks.
-
Strengthened Balance Sheet and Overall Debt
Reduction: The $60 million of cash deployed as part of the
Exchange Offers reduces Gran Tierra’s overall gross debt.
- Enhanced
Liquidity: Combining both the 2025 Notes and the
2027 Notes into a single series of New Notes with
US$487,590,000 aggregate principal amount enhances trading
liquidity for noteholders.
- Positive
Rating Agency View: Rating agencies are taking a positive
view on the credit due to the new senior secured structure,
pre-payment of 2025 Notes, and the new amortization profile.
- Retaining
Supportive Existing Bondholder Base: The broad investor
base participation in the Exchange Offers is a clear testament to
the market’s confidence in and support of Gran Tierra’s
strategy.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking
Statements
This press release contains opinions, forecasts,
projections, and other statements about future events or results
that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended, Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
and financial outlook and forward looking information within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively,
“forward-looking statements”). The use of the words “expect,”
“plan,” “can,” “will,” “should,” “guidance,” “forecast,” “signal,”
“progress,” and “believes,” derivations thereof and similar terms
identify forward-looking statements. In particular, but without
limiting the foregoing, this press release contains forward-looking
statements regarding: the Company’s projected cash flow, financial
flexibility, expected financial condition, expected liquidity, and
relationship with its bondholders. The forward-looking statements
contained in this press release reflect several material factors
and expectations and assumptions of Gran Tierra including, without
limitation, that Gran Tierra will continue to conduct its
operations in a manner consistent with its current expectations,
pricing and cost estimates (including with respect to commodity
pricing and exchange rates), and the general continuance of assumed
operational, regulatory and industry conditions in Colombia and
Ecuador, and the ability of Gran Tierra to execute its business and
operational plans in the manner currently planned.
Among the important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the
forward-looking statements in this press release are: our
operations are located in South America and unexpected problems can
arise due to guerilla activity, strikes, local blockades or
protests; technical difficulties and operational difficulties may
arise which impact the production, transport or sale of our
products; other disruptions to local operations; global health
events; global and regional changes in the demand, supply, prices,
differentials or other market conditions affecting oil and gas,
including inflation and changes resulting from a global health
crisis, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or from the imposition or
lifting of crude oil production quotas or other actions that might
be imposed by OPEC, such as its recent decision to cut production
and other producing countries and resulting company or third-party
actions in response to such changes; changes in commodity prices,
including volatility or a prolonged decline in these prices
relative to historical or future expected levels; the risk that
current global economic and credit conditions may impact oil prices
and oil consumption more than we currently predict. which could
cause further modification of our strategy and capital spending
program; prices and markets for oil and natural gas are
unpredictable and volatile; the effect of hedges; the accuracy of
productive capacity of any particular field; geographic, political
and weather conditions can impact the production, transport or sale
of our products; our ability to execute its business plan and
realize expected benefits from current initiatives; the risk that
unexpected delays and difficulties in developing currently owned
properties may occur; the ability to replace reserves and
production and develop and manage reserves on an economically
viable basis; the accuracy of testing and production results and
seismic data, pricing and cost estimates (including with respect to
commodity pricing and exchange rates); the risk profile of planned
exploration activities; the effects of drilling down-dip; the
effects of waterflood and multi-stage fracture stimulation
operations; the extent and effect of delivery disruptions,
equipment performance and costs; actions by third parties; the
timely receipt of regulatory or other required approvals for our
operating activities; the failure of exploratory drilling to result
in commercial wells; unexpected delays due to the limited
availability of drilling equipment and personnel; volatility or
declines in the trading price of our common stock or bonds; the
risk that we do not receive the anticipated benefits of government
programs, including government tax refunds; our ability to comply
with financial covenants in its credit agreement and indentures and
make borrowings under any credit agreement; and the risk factors
detailed from time to time in Gran Tierra’s periodic reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without
limitation, under the caption “Risk Factors” in Gran Tierra’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022
filed February 21, 2023 and its other filings with the SEC. These
filings are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov and
on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The forward-looking statements contained in this
press release are based on certain assumptions made by Gran Tierra
based on management’s experience and other factors believed to be
appropriate. Gran Tierra believes these assumptions to be
reasonable at this time, but the forward-looking statements are
subject to risk and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Gran
Tierra’s control, which may cause actual results to differ
materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking
statements. The unprecedented nature of industry volatility may
make it particularly difficult to identify risks or predict the
degree to which identified risks will impact Gran Tierra’s business
and financial condition. All forward-looking statements are made as
of the date of this press release and the fact that this press
release remains available does not constitute a representation by
Gran Tierra that Gran Tierra believes these forward-looking
statements continue to be true as of any subsequent date. Actual
results may vary materially from the expected results expressed in
forward-looking statements. Gran Tierra disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
except as expressly required by applicable law. In addition,
historical, current and forward-looking sustainability-related
statements may be based on standards for measuring progress that
are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue
to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the
future.
The statements related to Gran Tierra’s
financial performance, financial position and cash flow may be
considered to be future-oriented financial information or a
financial outlook for the purposes of applicable Canadian
securities laws. Financial outlook and future oriented financial
information contained in this press release about prospective
financial performance, financial position or cash flows are
provided to give the reader a better understanding of the potential
future performance of the Company in certain areas and are based on
assumptions about future events, including economic conditions and
proposed courses of action, based on management’s assessment of the
relevant information currently available, and to become available
in the future.
Actual results may differ significantly from the
projections presented herein. The actual results of Gran Tierra’s
operations for any period could vary from the amounts set forth in
these projections, and such variations may be material. See above
for a discussion of the risks that could cause actual results to
vary. The future-oriented financial information and financial
outlooks contained in this press release have been approved by
management as of the date of this press release. Readers are
cautioned that any such financial outlook and future-oriented
financial information contained herein should not be used for
purposes other than those for which it is disclosed herein. The
Company and its management believe that the prospective financial
information has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting
management’s best estimates and judgments, and represent, to the
best of management’s knowledge and opinion, the Company’s expected
course of action. However, because this information is highly
subjective, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of
future results.
About Gran Tierra Energy Inc.
Gran Tierra Energy Inc. together with its
subsidiaries is an independent international energy company
currently focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production
in Colombia and Ecuador. The Company is currently developing its
existing portfolio of assets in Colombia and Ecuador and will
continue to pursue additional new growth opportunities that would
further strengthen the Company’s portfolio. The Company’s common
stock trades on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and
the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTE. Additional
information concerning Gran Tierra is available at
www.grantierra.com. Except to the extent expressly stated
otherwise, information on the Company’s website or accessible from
the Company’s website or any other website is not incorporated by
reference into, and should not be considered part of, this press
release. Investor inquiries may be directed to info@grantierra.com
or (403) 265-3221.
Gran Tierra’s filings with (i) the SEC are
available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov, (ii) the
Canadian securities regulatory filings are available on SEDAR at
http://www.sedar.com, and (iii) the UK regulatory filings are
available on the National Storage Mechanism (the “NSM”) website at
https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism.
For investor and media inquiries please contact:
Gary Guidry,President & Chief Executive Officer
Ryan Ellson,Executive Vice President & Chief Financial
Officer
Rodger Trimble,Vice President, Investor Relations
+1-403-265-3221
info@grantierra.com
SOURCE Gran Tierra Energy Inc.
Gran Tierra Energy (TSX:GTE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2024 to Dec 2024
Gran Tierra Energy (TSX:GTE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2023 to Dec 2024