Kosmos Energy has announced its financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2024. For the quarter, the Company generated a net income of $92 million, or $0.19 per diluted share. When adjusted for certain items that impact the comparability of results, the Company generated an adjusted net income(1) of $99 million, or $0.21 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2024.
FIRST QUARTER 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
- Net Production(2): ~66,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), representing ~13% growth year over year, with sales of ~62,600 boepd
- Revenues: $419 million, or $73.52 per boe (excluding the impact of derivative cash settlements)
- Production expense: $94 million, or $16.42 per boe
- Capital expenditures: $286 million
- Successfully completed convertible bond issuance, enhancing liquidity and paying down higher interest floating rate debt
- Post quarter end, successfully refinanced the Company's reserve-based lending (RBL) facility, extending maturity to year-end 2029
- Post quarter end, contracted a drilling rig for the Equatorial Guinea 2024 infill and infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) campaign
Commenting on the Company’s first quarter 2024 performance, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Inglis said: 'Kosmos has had an active start to the year, continuing the operational and financial momentum we saw in 2023. Operationally, we've brought four new wells online at Jubilee and first oil at Winterfell is expected shortly, both important milestones for the Company as we target 50% production growth from the second half of 2022 to year-end 2024. We've also seen significant progress at Tortue with the FLNG arriving on location, completion of the deepwater pipelay and the FPSO en route to the project site. In Equatorial Guinea, we're pleased to have secured a high quality rig for the infill and ILX campaign later this year. We are also advancing our next set of growth projects, securing long lead items for Tiberius and a two-year license extension granted for Yakaar-Teranga.
Financially, we enhanced the resilience of the Company with a successful convertible bond offering and the re-financing of the RBL. Both transactions were important steps to proactively increase liquidity and extend our near-term debt maturities.
Our strategy remains on track with a busy year of catalysts ahead across all of our business units in Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Mauritania and Senegal.'
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Net capital expenditure for the first quarter of 2024 was $286 million, in line with guidance. Full-year capital expenditures are expected to be weighted to the first half of the year as the Ghana drilling program concludes and the Winterfell and Tortue Phase 1 projects progress to start-up.
Kosmos exited the first quarter of 2024 with approximately $2.7 billion of total long-term debt and approximately $2.4 billion of net debt(1) and available liquidity of approximately $954 million. Post quarter-end, the Company successfully refinanced the RBL facility, which now matures at the end of 2029. The facility size increased to $1.35 billion (from $1.25 billion) with current commitments as of April 26, 2024 of approximately $1.2 billion. The RBL facility is secured against the Company’s production assets in Ghana and Equatorial Guinea. The Company's assets in the US Gulf of Mexico and Mauritania and Senegal remain unencumbered.
The Company generated net cash provided by operating activities of approximately $273 million and free cash flow(1) of approximately $(42) million in the first quarter.
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Production
Total net production(2) in the first quarter of 2024 averaged approximately 66,700 boepd, in line with guidance, representing a ~13% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. This growth largely reflects higher production in Ghana arising from the start-up of the Jubilee South East project and the ongoing infill drilling campaign. The Company exited the quarter in a net underlift position of approximately 0.2 million barrels.
Ghana
Production in Ghana averaged approximately 43,800 boepd net in the first quarter of 2024. Kosmos lifted three cargos from Ghana during the quarter, in line with guidance.
At Jubilee (38.6% working interest), oil production in the first quarter averaged approximately 92,900 bopd gross with one water injector well brought on in January and two producer wells brought online in February. In the second quarter, one new producer well was brought online in April with one additional water injector well expected online by quarter end.
Following the completion of the additional water injector well, the planned drilling campaign will conclude approximately six months ahead of schedule as a result of efficiencies in the drilling operations.
Jubilee FPSO reliability continues to remain high at approximately 99% uptime for the first quarter. Voidage replacement for the first quarter was ~110% as a result of the elevated levels of water and gas injection.
In the first quarter, Jubilee gas production net to Kosmos was approximately 6,100 boepd. The interim gas sales agreement that is currently in place for Jubilee associated gas was extended for 18 months at a price of ~$3/mmbtu. In the second quarter, the onshore gas plant that receives Jubilee gas is expected to be offline for approximately two weeks for planned routine maintenance, with the impact included in second quarter guidance.
At TEN (20.4% working interest), production averaged approximately 18,600 bopd gross for the first quarter, in line with expectations. TEN FPSO reliability was consistent with Jubilee at approximately 99% uptime for the first quarter.
U.S. Gulf of Mexico
Production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico averaged approximately 14,500 boepd net (~81% oil) during the first quarter, in line with guidance.
The first two wells at the Winterfell project (25% working interest) are expected online shortly. A third well is expected online in the second half of 2024. Gross production from the first phase of the Winterfell project is expected to be around 20,000 boepd when the initial three wells are online. Total gross resource at Greater Winterfell is estimated to be up to 200 million boe.
The Company’s production enhancement activities for 2024 continue to make good progress with the Odd Job subsea pump project, which is planned to sustain long-term production from the field, expected online in mid-2024. At Kodiak, workover plans for the Kodiak 3 well have progressed with operations expected to commence in mid-2024. Year-end 2024 exit production from these enhancement activities is expected to be around 5,000 boepd net. The Tornado field is expected to be offline for most of the second quarter for the scheduled routine maintenance of the HP-1 floating production unit with the impact included in second quarter guidance.
The Tiberius ILX project, (50% working interest and operator) continues to progress as a phased development, with project sanction expected later this year. Certain long lead items are being secured to optimize the development timeline and project costs. During the first quarter, Kosmos acquired part of Equinor's stake in the project to maintain an aligned partnership and now holds 50%, which is already included in the 2024 capital guidance. Around the time of project sanction, Kosmos plans to farm down to optimize its working interest to fit within the targeted 2025+ capital program. Estimated gross resource at Tiberius is approximately 100 million boe.
Equatorial Guinea
Production in Equatorial Guinea averaged approximately 24,400 bopd gross and 8,400 bopd net in the first quarter. Kosmos lifted one cargo from Equatorial Guinea during the quarter, in line with guidance.
The Ceiba Field and Okume Complex workover and infill drilling campaign commenced in the fourth quarter of 2023, completing one production well workover. However, as a result of previously communicated safety issues with the drilling rig, the operator terminated the rig contract in early February 2024.
The partnership has now secured the Noble Venturer rig to resume the drilling campaign following the conclusion of its previous program in Ghana. The rig is expected on location around mid-year 2024 to drill and complete two infill wells in Block G and the Akeng Deep ILX prospect in Block S. Year-end 2024 exit production from the new infill wells is expected to be around 3,000 bopd net. The Akeng Deep well result is expected around the end of the year.
Mauritania & Senegal
The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim liquefied natural gas (LNG) project continues to make good progress. The following milestones have been achieved:
- Drilling: The operator has successfully drilled and completed all four wells with expected production capacity significantly higher than what is required for first gas.
- Hub Terminal: Construction work is complete and Hub Terminal handed over to operations.
- FLNG: The vessel arrived on location offshore Mauritania/Senegal during the first quarter of 2024 and is now moored to the Hub Terminal. The partnership is continuing to work with the vessel operator to accelerate commissioning work.
- Subsea: The subsea workscope is progressing in line with expectations with the flowline installation now complete and final connection work ongoing.
- FPSO: Inspection and repair of the vessel’s fairleads is complete with the vessel now en route to the project site with mooring work to commence thereafter. Hookup and commissioning of the FPSO remain on the critical path to first gas, expected in the third quarter of 2024 with first LNG expected in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim cargo optimization arbitration ruling is expected mid 2024.
In Senegal, on Yakaar-Teranga, Kosmos continues to work closely with Senegal's national oil company (PETROSEN) on pre-FEED work that prioritizes cost-competitive gas for the rapidly growing economy, combined with an offshore LNG facility targeting exports into international LNG markets. Kosmos plans to farm down its working interest to approximately 25% - 33% while retaining operatorship of the project.
In Mauritania, the BirAllah license expired at the end of April 2024. Kosmos continues to work closely with Mauritania's national oil company (SMH) and the Government of Mauritania to advance attractive gas opportunities in the country.
(1) A Non-GAAP measure, see attached reconciliation of non-GAAP measure.
(2) Production means net entitlement volumes. In Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, this means those volumes net to Kosmos' working interest or participating interest and net of royalty or production sharing contract effect. In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, this means those volumes net to Kosmos' working interest and net of royalty.
Source: Kosmos Energy
