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Morning all,
Just a few random thoughts all of which are pure conjecture:
I suspect the equity price won’t be crazily high; we’ll have needed this partner to do the deal and they’ll want a sweet one. I imagine the equity will be around 20-25% of the total ticket size for CC. A price of 40 pence (quite high!) at those sorts of levels would take us to the current limit of permissible dilution at 30% (if my maths is right). A lower price would lead me to think a special resolution for raising the current dilution ceiling would be necessary.
I also suspect the equity will be Vitol. Could easily be many other parties but I doubt very much that we’ll get a chance to re-up (so not a rights-issue style affair).
We’re all thinking about “terminal” value here based around the larger asset portfolio. I think we’ll open at a healthy premium but, as someone else mentioned, the price may take time to build. We know the story here, but the market won’t necessarily immediately cotton on. For me; it could be an opportunity to top up to a round number. If not, it’s great anyway.
I think the offering documents will be necessarily adequate to address the operational changes, strategic plans and(of course) debt and equity restructuring. However, they’ll be succinct and only as much as is necessary. I wouldn’t expect great detail on each asset and each piece of the strategy. Lawyers charge by the page as well as by the hour.
I expect management may structure a remuneration package for themselves and potentially employees, based around SP performance. I’ve no problem with this if it’s proportionate.
Finally, I wonder if the acting CFO will get the seat permanently.
Snaffleman: I did chuckle at your note re the turnips arriving on the bulletin board: thanks! Get your filter button ready, everyone.
Best wishes, all.
...and ZEN’s point about this deal being 75%+ bigger than what we had originally expected is huge. Thanks, ZEN.
I believe that maximum dilution based on current resolutions is 30%. It’ll be interesting to see if Vitol (and I assume they’ll take most, if not all, the equity) will be happy with this and the rest is (Vitol) debt or something different. Clearly a special resolution to move this 30% ceiling would easily pass.
Let’s also not forget that Niger funding and Accugas debt restructuring could also be part of the tasting menu that is the relisting document.
Hehe! He was the French version of a “bad boy” rocker. It was a slightly too obscure reference to Perenco (who, one might hope, won’t be getting most-favoured-nation terms for use of the Cameroon pipeline after apparently trying to gazump the deal).
I’m delighted with today’s news. Thank you to Messrs Knott, Jenkins and all the team who’ve worked so hard to get us to this point.
Best wishes all...
Johnny Halliday....bottled off.
Thanks so much for this, komakino.
It looks like something of a rapprochement. One wonders what financial or other assurances were offered to the Exxon employees in consideration for this apology and commitment. Maybe something from the government; maybe nothing beyond a promise of their jobs (which begs the question whether we even want a number of them). I doubt we’ll ever know.
A number of us were of the opinion some weeks ago that this dispute was perhaps the only thing holding up the deal; maybe this is the final hurdle...maybe not!
It looks like some French words have been mangled in a bad scan of this letter: pest, for instance, should clearly read petroleum (pevolieres -> petrolieres).
It’s not over yet but it’s feels a bit of a “gentlemen, start your engines” moment.
Keep going, Paul. Your strength of spirit and resilience are admirable. I could learn a thing or two...
We’re all rooting for you.
Mr.B for head of communications!
Change the thread title as perpetual headlining of capslock doom is what they want.
Yes; it’s about as welcome as Johnny Halliday as the warm-up act for Motörhead, tbh...
Zut alors, Thierry-Bertrand...
I wonder if Perenco is getting its PR team to release this stuff.
https://www.africa-press.net/tchad/economie/perenco-veut-devenir-le-maitre-du-jeu-petrolier-a-ndjamena
Perenco wants to become the master of the oil game in N’Djamena
Africa-Press - Chad. The French family firm Perenco is working to rule out companies wishing to enter the country, in particular Savannah Energy. The takeover of the assets of Glencore (Caracal Energy) by Perenco is just a matter of days.
The French family firm intends to rapidly increase the volume of production in the country (currently around 5,000 bpd) thanks to new investments.
And she does not intend to stop there in Chad. Perenco thus wishes to extend its advantage by hampering the takeover by Savannah Energy of the assets of Exxon Mobil on the Doba blocks.
According to our sources, the French company also wants to get its hands on these assets. This transaction would also include the participation of Exxon Mobil in the oil pipeline which goes from Doba to Kribi in Cameroon, operated by the American giant. But Perenco does not want to depend on Savannah for the export of its crude.
In order to thwart the Chadian designs of Savannah, Perenco seeks to convey the message that this junior is already too exposed between its blocks in Niger (Agadem), its activities in the Niger Delta in Nigeria and its current negotiation to take over the assets. of ENI in Tunisia (AI of 01/11/21).
Perenco intends to use a possible failure of Savannah in Chad - relatively unlikely - to weaken the case of the firm in Tunisia with ENI and at the same time recover these blocks.
Who is in charge? The discrediting of the Savannah case in Chad, as in Tunisia, is mainly led by the unwavering director of development of Perenco, Denis Chatelan. In this position since 2016, he is involved in all negotiations.
He gradually became - after seventeen years in the company - one of the right-hand men of the son of the founder and current president, François Perrodo, in tandem with the managing director Benoît de La Fouchardière.
The relationship between Perenco and Savannah is complex. An executive of Perenco from 2006 to 2015 (DRC, Egypt, Venezuela), Antoine Richard landed at Savannah (where he is the director of operations) less than a year after leaving the French firm.
But ex-Perencos are never looked down upon by their former employer when they find themselves in direct competition with him. The fight sometimes becomes, in these cases, much more personal.
This type of situation has arisen before with Trident Energy, led by former Perenco CEO Jean-Michel Jacoulot. The Perrodo family, at the head of Perenco, does everything to prevent the businesses of its former foals from developing. Trident Energy was also initially interested in buying Glencore in Chad (IA of 09/24/19).
For more information and analysis on Chad, follow Africa-Press
It was in komakino’s (IZ’s?) helpful post of 26 November, replicated below.
Chad: ExxonMobil complains against its national employees26 Nov '21
In crisis with his employees since he decided to sell his assets to an English company, the American major opens a new front with his employees in the long legal battle before his departure from Chad. The oil company has so far operated the Doba oil basin.
With our correspondent in Ndjamena, Madjiasra Nako
ExxonMobil employees who have been unemployed for more than a month arrived in large numbers on Thursday at the Ndjamena High Court. The day before, their delegates had received a summons following a complaint from their employer. The latter deplores having lost more than 30 billion CFA francs because of the strikes against the capital change project.
This complaint is a diversionary maneuver, denounces Me Mouné Koudangbé, the lawyer of the employees who points to the bad faith of the management of ExxonMobil: "Exxon blames the double penalty on its employees, because today, not only these people do not work, they are "unemployed" because the effects of their contract are suspended by the "lock-out" that was triggered - you see, this month that has passed, the employees have not received their salary! They have no wages or jobs. (But) in addition, they are prosecuted to pay thirty billion CFA francs. We find that it is still an aberration. »
ExxonMobil's lawyers contacted did not wish to react at this time. The parties are summoned on 9 December for the continuation of the procedure.
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20211126-tchad-exxonmobil-porte-plainte-contre-ses-employ%C3%A9s-nationaux
I may have misremembered, but wasn’t there supposed to be a decision-making process undertaken at court yesterday iro the Exxon employee dispute?
Good morning!
Hi NtoM;
I’ve always enjoyed your posts on this and other boards. You always discuss pertinent topics and have a humility that we could all learn from. So you’re one of the last people I’d filter.
The standard of posting on this board is top-notch (for a few days more, at least).
I’ll be interested to see if any of the up-to-30% dilution is undertaken. I’m suspecting not (Knott?)
We’re all speculating now; not much longer to wait.
Best wishes, all.
I agree, telegraphist, that there's a danger (understandably) that we get a bit over-enthusiastic about the relisting price.
These types of small-cap, deemed-high-risk shares tend to have a show-me-don't-tell-me element to their pricing (which could explain, for instance, why Niger was largely discounted in any valuation prior to suspension). There're lots of potential positives on relisting: debt restructure for Accugas ; funding for Niger drilling campaign; key strategic partner in Vitol; Uquo successful drill; new customer taking gas (FIPL) and others likely coming; increased Nigerian reserves; reduction in net debt from existing operations; growing revenues; higher o&g prices; etc. I'm sure I've overlooked some points here. And these are without even mentioning the CC deal. All other things being equal (and I know they're not!) CC should be accretive to the share price by the difference between the value of future cashflows based on existing Exxon operations less the price that SLP pays Exxon (i.e. how much of a bargain have we got?)
So with all that in mind, it seems highly likely that a decent premium to the suspension price is realised when we're relisted. That said, I'd prefer to see some SP stability through the first half of 2022 and then steady growth based on tangible operational progress rather than a teenage party of excitement on relisting that then ends up with a number of punters quickly looking sick, sober and sorry.
Best wishes, everyone.
I send a smile and thumbs up from North London, Pdub. There must be hundreds of people on this board willing you to get well and get cancer-free.
I feel we are long overdue an update from the boards of Ventus and Ventus 2 on the state of play re sale, or otherwise, of assets.
Sure - we know it's complicated, but it's been an awfully long time since we heard any news.
May be of interest to those of you who don’t come here to participate in the endless, pathetic drama queen b!tchery. Good morning.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/11/11/the-cop26-deal-will-not-be-enough-to-end-sas-coal-addiction
If one believes Soraya’s comments in the interims RNS from 7 September, this share looks undervalued, to me at least.
Usual caveats.
Best wishes,
CYB