HME Hemisphere Energy Corp

TSX-V: HME

VANCOUVER, May 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Hemisphere Energy Corporation (TSX-V: HME) ("Hemisphere" or the  "Company") announces its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. 

Q1 2019 Highlights

• Achieved record revenue of $6.4 million, an increase of 90% over the first quarter of 2018.
• Realized record quarterly funds flow from operations of $2.6 million, a 30% increase over the entire annual funds flow from operations for 2018.
• Increased quarterly production by 61% to 1,379 boe/d (97% oil), as compared to the first quarter of 2018.
• Reduced operating and transportation expenses to $12.10/boe, a 31% reduction from the first quarter of 2018.
• Improved operating netback by 149% to $30.89/boe, as compared to the first quarter of 2018.
• Reduced general and administration costs to $2.26/boe, which is a 57% reduction over the same quarter in 2018.
• Focused on improving Hemisphere's balance sheet by reducing net debt by 8% during the first quarter of 2019 over net debt levels as at Dec. 31, 2018.
• Increased corporate Liability Management Ratio (LMR) with the Alberta Energy Regulator to 9.1 at the end of the first quarter 2019.

Corporate Update

During the first quarter of 2019, Hemisphere recovered from the low oil prices and wide Canadian oil price differentials that the oil and gas sector experienced in the fourth quarter of 2018 which allowed Hemisphere to bring back on production that was shut-in during the latter part of 2018. However, during the first quarter, Hemisphere experienced some significant production downtime in the field associated with severe winter conditions.  Despite these obstacles, Hemisphere maintained record production levels and lowered operating and transportation expenses, resulting in record corporate revenue and funds flow from operations for the quarter.

Hemisphere's average realized price of $51.85/boe in the first quarter of 2019 is 128% higher than the fourth quarter of 2018 and is an increase of 18% over the same period in 2018. The higher oil price environment along with a 61% increase in production year over year to 1,379 boe/d (97% oil) resulted in record revenues of over $6.4 million for the first quarter. Hemisphere's low operating and transportation costs of $12.10/boe, decreased royalties to $5.30/boe, and lower general and administrative costs of $2.26/boe lead to record funds flow from operations of $2.6 million.

With limited capital spending in the first quarter, Hemisphere focused on lowering net debt levels and planning for an active development program in the second half of 2019. Hemisphere is currently preparing for another significant drilling program scheduled to begin in June where up to 16 additional wells are planned to be drilled in the Atlee Buffalo area. Hemisphere will continue to monitor the oil price environment and will adjust capital spending if required. The Company's corporate strategy through 2019 is to focus on strengthening its financial capacity by investing capital in growing production, reserves, and free cash flow to generate greater shareholder value in the coming year.

Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders

Hemisphere's Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders is being held in the Pender Room of Oceanic Plaza, 1035 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday, June 14, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time). 

Financial and Operating Summary

About Hemisphere Energy Corporation

Hemisphere Energy Corporation is a producing oil and gas company focused on developing low risk conventional oil assets for minimal capital exposure through developing known pools of oil and optimizing waterflood projects. Hemisphere plans continual growth in production, reserves, and cash flow by drilling existing projects and executing strategic acquisitions.  Hemisphere trades on the TSX Venture Exchange as a Tier 1 issuer under the symbol "HME".

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "may", "will", "project", "could", "plan", "intend", "should", "believe", "outlook", "potential", "target" and similar words suggesting future events or future performance. In particular, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this news release includes forward-looking statements regarding Hemisphere's plans for another significant drilling program scheduled to begin in June where up to 16 additional wells are planned to be drilled in the Atlee Buffalo area; Hemisphere's pans to adjust capital spending if required as a result of the commodity price environment; Hemisphere's planned corporate strategy through 2019 to focus on strengthening its balance sheet while further growing production, reserves, and free cash flow to generate greater shareholder value in the coming year; and Hemisphere's plans for continual growth in production, reserves, and cash flow by drilling existing projects and executing strategic acquisitions.  In addition, statements relating to "reserves" are deemed to be forward-looking statements as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the reserves described exist in the quantities predicted or estimated and can be profitably produced in the future.

Forward‐looking statements are based on a number of material factors, expectations, or assumptions of Hemisphere which have been used to develop such statements and information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Hemisphere believes that the expectations reflected in such forward‐looking statements or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward‐looking statements because Hemisphere can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: that Hemisphere will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with past operations; results from drilling and development activities are consistent with past operations; the quality of the reservoirs in which Hemisphere operates and continued performance from existing wells; the continued and timely development of infrastructure in areas of new production; the accuracy of the estimates of Hemisphere's reserve volumes; certain commodity price and other cost assumptions; continued availability of debt and equity financing and cash flow to fund Hemisphere's current and future plans and expenditures; the impact of increasing competition; the general stability of the economic and political environment in which Hemisphere operates; the general continuance of current industry conditions; the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals; the ability of Hemisphere to obtain qualified staff, equipment and services in a timely and cost efficient manner; drilling results; the ability of the operator of the projects in which Hemisphere has an interest in to operate the field in a safe, efficient and effective manner; the ability of Hemisphere to obtain financing on acceptable terms; field production rates and decline rates; the ability to replace and expand oil and natural gas reserves through acquisition, development and exploration; the timing and cost of pipeline, storage and facility construction and expansion and the ability of Hemisphere to secure adequate product transportation; future commodity prices; currency, exchange and interest rates; regulatory framework regarding royalties, taxes and environmental matters in the jurisdictions in which Hemisphere operates; and the ability of Hemisphere to successfully market its oil and natural gas products.

The forward‐looking information and statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Such information and statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to defer materially from those anticipated in such forward‐looking information or statements including, without limitation: changes in commodity prices; changes in the demand for or supply of Hemisphere's products, the early stage of development of some of the evaluated areas and zones; unanticipated operating results or production declines; changes in tax or environmental laws, royalty rates or other regulatory matters; changes in development plans of Hemisphere or by third party operators of Hemisphere's properties, increased debt levels or debt service requirements; inaccurate estimation of Hemisphere's oil and gas reserve volumes; limited, unfavourable or a lack of access to capital

markets; increased costs; a lack of adequate insurance coverage; the impact of competitors; and certain other risks detailed from time‐to‐time in Hemisphere's public disclosure documents, (including, without limitation, those risks identified in this news release and in Hemisphere's Annual Information Form). 

The forward‐looking information and statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release, and Hemisphere does not assume any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the included forward‐looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Non-IFRS Measures

The press release contains terms that are non-IFRS measures and commonly used in the oil and gas industry which are not defined by or calculated in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), such as: (i) funds flow from operations and funds flow from operations on a per share basis; (ii) net debt; and (iii) operating netback and operating field netback. These terms should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than the comparable IFRS measures (as determined in accordance with IFRS) which in the case of funds flow from operations is cash provided by operating activities and cash flow from operating activities and in the case of operating field netback and operating netback are net income or net loss.  There is no IFRS measure that is reasonably comparable to net debt.  These measures are commonly used in the oil and gas industry and by Hemisphere to provide shareholders and potential investors with additional information regarding: (i) in the case of funds flow from operations, the Company's ability to generate the funds necessary to support future growth through capital investment and to repay any debt; (ii) in the case of operating netback and operating field netback the indication of the Company's profitability relative to current commodity prices; and (iii) in the case of net debt, the capital structure of the Company. 

Hemisphere's determination of these measures may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. Funds flow from operations is calculated as cash generated by operating activities, before changes in non-cash working capital and in the case of funds flow from operations on a per share basis, divided by the basic number of shares outstanding at the applicable time; operating field netback is calculated as the Company's oil and gas sales, less royalties, operating expenses, and transportation costs; and operating netback adjusts operating field netback for any realized gains or losses on commodity hedges and net debt is calculated as current assets minus current liabilities including bank indebtedness and excluding fair value of financial instruments and any flow-through share premium.  The Company has provided additional information on how these measures are calculated in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2018, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. 

Oil and Gas Advisories

A barrel of oil equivalent ("boe") may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of 6 Mcf:1 Bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.  In addition, given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.  

Short-term and peak production rates disclosed herein are not determinative of the rates at which the wells will continue to produce and decline thereafter and may not necessarily be indicative of the long term performance or estimated ultimate recovery.

Definitions and Abbreviations

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Hemisphere Energy Corporation