Africa Oil Announces its Year-End 2020 Statement of Reserves with a 117% 2P Reserves Replacement Ratio and the Posting of its First ESG Review

VANCOUVER, BC, March 29, 2021 /CNW/ - (TSX – AOI)  (Nasdaq Stockholm – AOI)    Africa Oil Corp. (“Africa Oil”, “AOC” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the posting of its 2020 statement of reserves on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) as part of its Annual Information Form. This disclosure is based on an independent reserves evaluation, effective 31 December 2020, prepared by RISC (UK) Limited (“RISC”) for Africa Oil in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 51-101 – Standards for Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101") and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook ("COGE Handbook"). Africa Oil is also pleased to announce the release of its first Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Review that presents the Company’s 2020 ESG performance highlights and sustainability goals. This can be accessed on the Company’s website (www.africaoilcorp.com).

Highlights¹

• Africa Oil’s statement of reserves is based on the Company’s 50% ownership interest in Prime Oil & Gas Coöperatief U.A (“Prime”).
• YE’2020 working interest (W.I.) and net entitlement² proved plus probable reserves (“2P”) of 72.6 MMboe (YE’19: 70.9 MMboe) and 85.8 MMboe (YE’19: 84.9 MMboe), respectively.
• W.I. 2P reserves replacement ratio of 117% is the result of strong reservoir performances with positive technical revisions and resource transfers of 12.2 MMboe, compared to a production of 10.5 MMboe net to Africa Oil’s 50% shareholding in Prime.   
• After-tax 2P NPV (10) valuation of $1,356 million.
• Africa Oil is committed to be a full-cycle E&P company that integrates sustainability consideration throughout the decision-making and operational management. The Company has presented its vision, sustainability goals and ESG performance metrics in its inaugural ESG Review.

Africa Oil President and CEO, Keith Hill, commented on the statement of reserves: “we recently reported strong full-year 2020 operational and financial performance underpinned by our investment in Prime. Therefore, I am very pleased to report further positive news on our Nigerian assets with a 2P reserves replacement ratio of 117% due to strong reservoir performance at all three producing fields. These low-cost assets provide us with a strong platform of production and cash flows to pursue growth opportunities in our portfolio as well as new business development ventures. I am also pleased that we have published our first ESG Review, a significant milestone for the company, since becoming a full-cycle E&P company in January 2020 through the acquisition of a 50% shareholding in Prime. We are fully committed to delivering on our sustainability goals and I am confident that we will continue to make good progress in managing and improving our ESG performance.”

Africa Oil Chairman, John Craig, commented in the ESG Review Report: “As a Board, we recognize the importance of maintaining robust governance systems that address climate risk. In line with our commitment to prioritize ESG performance, we have included ESG as a component of our Executive pay-for-performance program as we believe these important factors align with long-term value creation for the Company and the interests of our stakeholders. In addition, we made significant strides forward to advance our systems, integrate new diligence steps in our investment screening procedures and charted a path to reduce our emissions profile. By aligning our oversight, strategy and performance to the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures framework, we also believe we are taking the appropriate steps to communicate our activity and look forward to providing further updates to our stakeholders in due course.”

Africa Oil’s statement of reserves is based on the Company’s 50% ownership interest in Prime Oil & Gas Coöperatief U.A (“Prime”). Prime’s main assets are an indirect 8% interest in Oil Mining Lease (“OML”) 127 and an indirect 16% interest in OML 130; both are deep-water Nigeria concessions. OML 127 is operated by the affiliates of Chevron Corporation (“Chevron”) and contains the producing Agbami field. OML 130 is operated by affiliates of TOTAL S.A. (“TOTAL”) and contains the producing Akpo and Egina fields and the undeveloped Preowei field.

The YE’2020 reserves and reconciliation of changes in W.I. reserves summarized in the following tables pertain to 50% of Prime’s W.I. and net entitlement reserves:

Notes:

1. Please refer to the oil and gas advisory on the next page for important information.
2. Net entitlement reserves are calculated using the economic interest methodology and include cost recovery oil, tax oil and profit oil and are different from working interest reserves that are calculated based on project volumes multiplied by Prime’s effective working interest.
3. All dollar amounts in this press release are U.S. Dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Additional Information

This information is information that Africa Oil is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 5:30 p.m. ET on March 29, 2021.

Advisory Regarding Oil and Gas Information

The terms boe (barrel of oil equivalent) and MMboe (millions of barrels of oil equivalent) are used throughout this press release. Such terms may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. Year-end 2020 reserves estimates are based on a conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet per barrel of oil equivalent (6 Mcf: 1 boe), which is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. 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.

RISC’s report was prepared using Brent oil price forecast of ($/bbl): 2021 – 55.0; 2022 – 56.1; 2023 – 57.2; 2024 – 58.4; 2025 – 59.5; 2026 and beyond – escalation rate of 2.0%. There is no assurance that the forecast prices will be attained and variances could be material. The recovery and reserves estimates of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas reserves provided herein are estimates only and there is no guarantee that the estimated reserves will be recovered. Actual crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids reserves may be greater than or less than the estimates provided herein.

The reserves estimates presented in this press release have been evaluated by RISC in accordance with NI 51-101 and the COGE Handbook, are effective December 31, 2020. The reserves presented herein have been categorized accordance with the reserves and resource definitions as set out in the COGE Handbook. The estimates of reserves in this press release may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates of reserves for all properties, due to the effects of aggregation.

Reserves are estimated remaining quantities of petroleum anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, as of a given date, based on the analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical, and engineering data; the use of established technology; and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Reserves are further classified according to the level of certainty associated with the estimates and may be sub-classified based on development and production status. Proved Reserves are those quantities of petroleum, which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under existing economic conditions, operating methods and government regulations. Probable Reserves are those additional quantities of petroleum that are less certain to be recovered than Proved Reserves, but which, together with Proved Reserves, are as likely as not to be recovered. Possible Reserves are those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered than probable reserves. It is unlikely that actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the sum of the estimated proved plus probable plus possible reserves.

Forward Looking Information

Certain statements and information contained herein constitute "forward-looking information" (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation). Such statements and information (together, "forward looking statements") relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities.

All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Statements concerning proven and probable reserves and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements and reflect conclusions that are based on certain assumptions that the reserves and resources can be economically exploited. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect, "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, ongoing uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including production, cashflow from operation and capital investment estimates, performance of commodity hedges, the results, schedules and costs of exploratory drilling activity, uninsured risks, regulatory and fiscal changes, availability of materials and equipment, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations, duration of the drilling program, availability of third party service providers and defects in title.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected by the forward-looking statements presented in this document are reasonable, the Company’s forward-looking statements have been based on assumptions and factors concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company about itself and the businesses in which it operates. Information used in developing forward-looking statements has been acquired from various sources, including third party consultants, suppliers and regulators, among others. Because actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are similar to those faced by other oil and gas companies and some are unique to the Company.

No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties relating to, among other things, changes in macro-economic conditions and their impact on operations, changes in oil prices, reservoir and production facility performance, hedging counterparty contractual performance, OPEC+ quota impact on production, results of exploration and development activities, cost overruns, uninsured risks, regulatory and fiscal changes, defects in title, claims and legal proceedings, availability of materials and equipment, availability of skilled personnel, timeliness of government or other regulatory approvals, actual performance of facilities, joint venture partner underperformance, availability of financing on reasonable terms, availability of third party service providers, equipment and processes relative to specifications and expectations and unanticipated environmental, health and safety impacts on operations. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

The Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other documents filed with securities regulatory authorities (accessible through the SEDAR website www.sedar.com) describe risks, material assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results and are incorporated herein by reference.

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For further information, please contact: 

Shahin Amini
IR and Commercial Manager
shahin.amini@africaoilcorp.com
T: +44 (0)203 982 6800

Sophia Shane
Corporate Development
sophias@namdo.com
T: +1 (604) 806-3575

About Africa Oil

Africa Oil Corp. is a Canadian oil and gas company with producing and development assets in deepwater Nigeria; development assets in Kenya; and an exploration/appraisal portfolio in Africa and Guyana. The Company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq Stockholm under the symbol "AOI".