The FINANCIAL — Chesapeake Energy Corporation on November 2 reported financial and operational results for the 2017 third quarter plus other recent developments. Highlights include:
Average 2017 third quarter production of 541,600 boe per day and average 2017 third quarter oil production of 86,000 barrels per day, as previously announced
Total production reached approximately 584,000 boe per day, including 99,000 barrels of oil, on October 30, 2017
On track to meet goal of averaging 100,000 barrels of oil per day in the 2017 fourth quarter
Upper Marcellus Shale enhanced completions yield rates exceeding expectations; competitive with Lower Marcellus core position
Doug Lawler, Chesapeake’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We continue to improve our capital efficiency and cost structure as we drive toward free cash flow neutrality. We have recognized greater productivity across our diverse portfolio through technical innovation and the tenacity of our employees and, accordingly, we are expanding our core position in every operated play. On October 30, 2017, total production reached 584,000 boe per day, including 99,000 barrels of oil and we remain on track to average 100,000 barrels of oil per day in the fourth quarter. As further evidence of our progress, we are pleased to announce the results of two new wells with enhanced completions in the Upper Marcellus that are producing at rates of approximately 30 million cubic feet of gas per day, exceeding expectations and competitive with our world class Lower Marcellus position.”
Lawler continued, “As we look toward 2018, our priorities remain unchanged as we focus on further improving our balance sheet, increasing our margins and driving toward cash flow neutrality. While we have not announced details regarding our 2018 capital program, we will maintain a disciplined approach that provides the flexibility necessary to respond to changes in commodity prices. As of today, we anticipate spending less capital in 2018 than 2017 and, given our asset quality and industry-leading capital efficiency, we expect to deliver flat to modest production growth on a lower capital expenditure. We look forward to reporting more on our progress in the coming months.”
2017 Third Quarter Results
For the 2017 third quarter, Chesapeake reported a net loss available to common stockholders of $41 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, while the company’s EBITDA for the 2017 third quarter was $345 million. Adjusting for unrealized losses on commodity derivatives and other items that are typically excluded by securities analysts, the 2017 third quarter adjusted net income attributable to Chesapeake was $106 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, while the company’s adjusted EBITDA was $468 million. Reconciliations of financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP to non-GAAP measures are provided on pages 12 – 18 of this release.
Chesapeake’s oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) unhedged revenue was approximately unchanged year over year despite a 15% reduction in volume, mainly driven by asset sales. Chesapeake’s oil, natural gas and NGL unhedged revenue decreased 3% quarter over quarter due to a decrease in the average commodity prices for the company’s natural gas production, partially offset by an increase in natural gas and NGL production volumes sold. Average daily production for the 2017 third quarter of approximately 541,600 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) increased by 4% sequentially, adjusted for asset sales, and consisted of approximately 86,000 barrels (bbls) of oil, 2.382 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas and 58,600 bbls of NGL.
Average production expenses during the 2017 third quarter were $3.03 per boe, while general and administrative (G&A) expenses (including stock-based compensation) during the 2017 third quarter were $1.08 per boe. Combined production and G&A expenses (including stock-based compensation) during the 2017 third quarter were $4.11 per boe, an increase of 6% year over year and a decrease of 6% quarter over quarter. Gathering, processing and transportation expenses during the 2017 third quarter were $7.40 per boe, a decrease of 8% year over year and a nominal decrease quarter over quarter, according to Chesapeake Energy.
Capital Spending Overview
Chesapeake’s total capital investments were approximately $692 million during the 2017 third quarter, compared to approximately $667 million in the 2017 second quarter and $412 million in the 2016 third quarter. As a result of the company’s year-to-date capital investment, along with its projected capital outlay in the 2017 fourth quarter, Chesapeake’s current guidance range for total capital investments was raised to $2.3 to $2.5 billion from $2.1 to $2.5 billion.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of September 30, 2017, Chesapeake’s principal debt balance was approximately $9.8 billion, compared to $10.0 billion as of December 31, 2016. The company’s total liquidity as of September 30, 2017 was approximately $3.0 billion, which included cash on hand and a borrowing capacity of approximately $3.0 billion under the company’s senior secured revolving credit facility. As of September 30, 2017, the company had $645 million of outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility and had used $97 million of the revolving credit facility for various letters of credit.
On October 12, 2017, Chesapeake issued through a private placement an aggregate of $850 million of 8.00% Senior Notes due 2025 and 2027 with proceeds to be used to repurchase debt. On October 13, 2017, approximately $320 million principal amount of the company’s 8.00% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2022 and $193 million principal amount in various Senior Notes due 2020 and 2021 were tendered. In addition, Chesapeake also repurchased in the open market approximately $237 million principal amount of the company’s secured term loan due 2021 in October 2017. As a result, Chesapeake has further reduced the principal amount of its secured debt by approximately $557 million since June 30, for a total reduction in the principal amount of secured debt of approximately $1.2 billion year to date. The company’s total debt balance on October 31, 2017 was approximately $9.9 billion, including $643 million drawn on its revolving credit facility and the company’s total liquidity was approximately $3.1 billion.
On October 30, 2017, the administrative agent under the company’s senior revolving credit agreement, in addition to other lenders under the agreement, notified Chesapeake that the borrowing base had been reaffirmed at $3.785 billion.
Operations Update
Chesapeake’s average daily production for the 2017 third quarter was approximately 541,600 boe and is further detailed in the table below. Chesapeake’s projected production volumes and capital expenditure program are subject to capital allocation decisions throughout the remainder of the year and may be adjusted based on prevailing market conditions.
Chesapeake is currently utilizing 14 drilling rigs (below the 2017 third quarter average of 17) across its operating areas, five of which are located in the Eagle Ford Shale, three in the Powder River Basin (PRB), three in the Haynesville Shale, two in Northeast Appalachia and one in the Mid-Continent area. Chesapeake plans to average 14 rigs in the 2017 fourth quarter.
In the Eagle Ford Shale, Chesapeake placed 31 wells on production in the 2017 third quarter. Included in this number were 20 wells in the company’s Faith Ranch development area, of which 14 wells reached peak production of more than 1,000 bbls of oil per day. In total, the Faith Ranch wells achieved peak production of approximately 18,000 bbls of oil per day. Additionally, in October, Chesapeake placed 11 wells on production from its Vesper development area, yielding approximately 13,000 bbls of oil per day, highlighted by the Vesper Unit IV DIM H 3H well which featured a three-mile lateral and enhanced completion, and yielded an initial production of more than 2,000 bbls of oil per day. Chesapeake expects to place on production up to 73 wells in the Eagle Ford in the 2017 fourth quarter.
In the PRB, Chesapeake’s third Turner well, the Graham 23-35-71 15H, was completed with a 4,500-foot lateral and placed on production in September 2017, achieving a peak rate of 1,737 boe per day (82% oil). On October 31, 2017, Chesapeake placed two additional Turner wells on production from its York pad, averaging approximately 8,500 feet in lateral length each. The company expects to provide updated results from these Turner wells later in the month. Chesapeake added a third rig in October 2017 and expects to place on production up to 11 wells in the 2017 fourth quarter, compared to seven wells in the 2017 third quarter.
In the Marcellus Shale, Chesapeake has begun to deploy its enhanced completion techniques on the Upper Marcellus formation, yielding rates that have exceeded internal expectations. The company placed two Upper Marcellus wells from its Maris pad located in Susquehanna County on production in September 2017. These wells achieved peak rates of 29,800 and 29,600 thousand cubic feet (mcf) of gas per day, respectively, more than 50% higher than the company’s previous Upper Marcellus record rate of 18,700 mcf of gas per day from a well drilled in 2015. These wells have produced with pressures as expected with minimal depletion from offset wells in the Lower Marcellus, including one that was offset at 375 feet. These results confirmed positive delineation of the company’s Upper Marcellus resource potential in areas where Lower Marcellus production had already existed, and have the potential to significantly increase the company’s core position in the play. Chesapeake also placed the DPH SW WYO 3H well targeting the Lower Marcellus and located in the southern edge of the company’s Wyoming County acreage on production, achieving a peak rate of 37,900 mcf of gas per day from a 6,100-foot lateral with an enhanced completion in October 2017. Chesapeake expects to place on production up to 17 wells in the 2017 fourth quarter, compared to 25 wells in the 2017 third quarter.
In the Utica Shale, enhanced completions techniques have yielded an approximately 25% improvement in 120-day cumulative production compared to the type curve. In July 2017, the eight-well Ellie pad was placed on production yielding an average per well initial production rate of 1,100 boe per day, 65% of which was liquids. The dry gas portion of the Utica is also delivering positive results. Chesapeake is in the initial flowback period for the Schiappa Trust A pad in Jefferson County and has seen initial production rates of 20,000 mcf of gas per well per day. Chesapeake plans to continue testing new completions designs in the 2017 fourth quarter.
In the Haynesville Shale, Chesapeake turned 12 wells on production in the 2017 third quarter, averaging lateral lengths of 8,440 feet and initial production of 31,840 mcf of gas per day. Of note, the company placed four wells from its BSNR pad located in De Soto Parish on production in September 2017, averaging 9,800-foot laterals. While these wells separately achieved peak rates ranging from 29,600 mcf to 37,200 mcf of gas per day, the combined peak rate from the BSNR pad reached approximately 134,000 mcf of gas per day. In October, the company also placed three wells from its PKY pad on production, all with 8,500-foot laterals, which achieved a combined peak rate of approximately 95,000 mcf of gas per day. As a result, last week Chesapeake’s net production from the Haynesville reached 1 bcf of gas per day, which is the company’s highest daily rate since November 2012. Additionally, Chesapeake expects to place on production its first 10,000-foot Bossier well, the Nabors 13&12-10-13 1HC, located in Sabine Parish in late November 2017 and intends to spud its first 15,000-foot lateral Haynesville well in the 2017 fourth quarter. The company expects to place on production up to seven wells in the Haynesville in the 2017 fourth quarter.
In the Mid-Continent, Chesapeake recently drilled and completed a 10,000-foot lateral well with an enhanced completion design on the Bravo 1H well in Major County, yielding an average production rate of approximately 1,550 bbls of oil per day and an average total production rate of 1,960 boe per day over the first 10 days.
Discussion about this post