13 May 2020 07:00
13 May 2020
COLUMBUS ENERGY RESOURCES PLC
("Columbus" or the "Company")
Trinity Inniss CO2 Project Update and Issue of Equity - Total Voting Rights
Columbus, the oil and gas producer and explorer focused on onshore Trinidad and Suriname, is pleased to announce receipt of Ministry on Energy and Energy Industry ("Ministry") approval for the start of continuous injection of CO₂ in the Trinity Inniss field.
The Company also announces a continuation, for the month of May 2020, of the cost control measures first implemented in April 2020.
Leo Koot, Executive Chairman of Columbus, commented:
"The Company is pleased to have received Ministry consent for the start of continuous injection of CO₂ in the Trinity Inniss field. The CO₂ project is an important enhanced oil recovery project for both the Company and Trinidad and I look forward to updating the market upon the commencement of continuous injection.
The Company has decided, for the month of May, to continue to manage some of its third party costs through the issuance of shares under the Lind Facility and the Contractor Shares scheme. However, we are conscious of the dilution this has on shareholders and so will, in the coming weeks, carefully review the effect of the share issuances and whether it makes sense to consider its use in the future."
Background - Trinity Inniss CO₂ Project
As previously announced, the term of the Trinity Inniss Incremental Production Service Contract ("IPSC") was extended to allow for the implementation of the CO₂ Pilot Project.
The Company's interest in the Trinity Inniss field benefits from an agreement with Predator Oil and Gas plc ("Predator"), whereby Predator will help plan and fund the CO₂ EOR Pilot Project (the "CO₂ pilot project"). As part of the agreement with Predator, the Company and Predator share 50:50 in any incremental oil production (after Predator recovers its costs associated with the project). Additionally, Predator has the right (until 30 September 2020) to purchase the Company's interest in the Trinity Inniss field for US$4.2m.
Corporate Update - Lind Shares and Contractor Shares
The Company will continue, for the month of May 2020, of the cost control measures first implemented in April 2020.
As announced on 15 April 2020, the Company has implemented various costs control measures, including the issuance of shares to Lind in lieu of cash payments and the issuance of Contractor Shares.
The Company has decided that it is the best of interests of its shareholders to continue these actions into the month of May 2020 and as such will:
· Issue 13,046,803 new ordinary shares to Lind in lieu of cash payments otherwise due in May 2020 (the "Lind Shares"). Such issuance is in accordance with the Company's rights under the 2019 Facility Agreement.
· Contractor Shares: issuance of 9,500,000 new ordinary shares to various contractors, as part of the Contractor Shares Scheme, which has been in place since mid-2018.
The other measures for managing company costs as announced on 15 April 2020, including no cash salaries for the Executive Management, remain in place.
Lind Shares and Contractor Shares
The Lind Shares and the Contractor Shares represent 2.51% of the 895,467,938 ordinary shares in issue prior to the issuance of the Lind Shares and Contractor Shares. The Lind Shares and Contractor Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing ordinary shares. An application will be made for the Lind Shares and Contractor Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM, ("Admission"), and it is expected that Admission will become effective and that dealings will commence on or around 20 May 2020.
Total Voting Rights
For the purposes of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, the Board of Columbus hereby notifies the market of the following:
As at the date of this announcement, and after the issuance of the Lind Shares and the Contractor Shares, the Company's issued share capital will consist of 918,014,741 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 0.05p each, with voting rights ("Ordinary Shares"). The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in Treasury.
Therefore, the total number of Ordinary Shares in the Company with voting rights is 918,014,741. This figure may be used by Shareholders in the Company as denominator for the calculations by which they may determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.
Qualified Person's statement:
The information contained in this document has been reviewed and approved by Stewart Ahmed, Chief Technical Officer (Trinidad), for Columbus Energy Resources plc. Mr Ahmed has a BSc in Mining and Petroleum Engineering and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Mr Ahmed has over 33 years of relevant experience in the oil industry.
This announcement is inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation 596/2014.
Contact Information
Columbus Energy Resources plc Leo Koot / Gordon Stein / Tony Hawkins | +44 (0)20 7203 2039 |
VSA Capital Limited Broker Andrew Monk / Andrew Raca | +44 (0)20 3005 5000 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited Nominated Adviser Roland Cornish / Rosalind Hill Abrahams | +44 (0)20 7628 3396 |
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Notes to Editors:
Columbus Energy Resources Plc is an oil and gas producer and explorer focused on onshore Trinidad and Suriname. In Trinidad, the Columbus Energy group has five producing fields, one appraisal/development project and a highly prospective exploration, appraisal and development portfolio in the South West Peninsula ("SWP"), which lies in the extreme southwest of Trinidad and consists of stacked shallow and deep prospects. In Suriname, the Company has an onshore appraisal/development project. Columbus aims to create transformational growth by developing its portfolio in a capital efficient and disciplined manner.
Columbus is guided by the following core values; safe and sustainable, stronger together, creative excellence, positive energy, totally trusted and personally responsible.
The Company is led by an experienced Board and senior management team with supportive shareholders and intends on leveraging its expertise and experience to build an attractive and diversified portfolio of assets across South America in order to build an oil production led South American exploration business.
To find out more, visit www.columbus-erp.com or follow us on Twitter @Columbus_ERP.