DNO reports solid first quarter results; prepares deeper dive into Norwegian waters

 DNO, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, has reported first quarter 2025 operating profit of USD 28 million on the back of USD 188 million in revenues, both showing a quarter-on-quarter increase.

In a quarter marked by the announcement of its transformative USD 1.6 billion acquisition of Norway’s Sval Energi Group, DNO continued to deliver strong operational performance. Net production rose eight percent to 84,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), to which Kurdistan contributed 61,600 boepd, North Sea 19,300 boepd and West Africa 3,400 boepd.

In the flagship Kurdistan Tawke license (DNO 75 percent and operator), production increased 11 percent quarter-on-quarter. Continuing strict capital discipline since the closure of the Iraq-Türkiye export pipeline, the Company stabilized, even raised, production from existing wells through rigless interventions. Output from similar reservoirs typically decline 15-20 percent per year.

DNO’s share of oil production was sold at its Fish Khabur terminal to local buyers at USD 35 per barrel with payments made in advance. Tawke license sales averaged USD 20 million net to DNO per month, generating around USD 10 million of free cash flow.

'In Kurdistan we are doing a remarkable job keeping up production with minimal investment,' said DNO Executive Chairman Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani. 'If a Norwegian company can accomplish this in the Middle East, we should replicate such efficiencies on our home surf whether we operate the permits or not', he observed. 'As we prepare to close the Sval acquisition around midyear,' Mr. Mossavar-Rahmani added, 'DNO will pivot hard to the Anglo-Saxon culture of the early years of the Norwegian oil industry: faster, cheaper, better.'

The Company kept up its successful exploration pace offshore Norway with two discoveries in the last quarter, Kjøttkake (40 percent and operator) and Mistral (10 percent), together adding recoverable resources of 26 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) net to the Company.

When the Sval acquisition is closed, DNO’s North Sea proven and probable (2P) reserves will quadruple to 189 MMboe and 2C resources climb to 246 MMboe from 144 MMboe, all on a year-end 2024 basis. North Sea production also quadruples to 80,000 boepd. The acquisition turns the North Sea into the biggest contributor to DNO’s net production with some 60 percent of the total and DNO will rank in top ten among producers in Norway.

Following the Sval announcement in early March, the Company completed a USD 600 million bond placement a week later, DNO’s 20th successful bond issue in 24 years.

On the back of the bond issue, DNO exited the quarter with cash deposits of USD 1,473 million. However, deposits were reduced following the end of the quarter by the early redemption of the DNO04 bond (outstanding amount of USD 350 million) in April.

Given the continuing operational performance and strength of the balance sheet, the Board of Directors has authorized a dividend payment of NOK 0.3125 per share payable in June, representing NOK 1.25 per share on an annualized basis.

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Original announcement link

Source: DNO