Message #33 From:
NewsBot Date: December 18, 2006 06:27:00 AM
SYNM News Syntroleum Announces Sale of Its Exploration and Production Holdings
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syntroleum Corporation (Nasdaq:SYNM) announced today that its
subsidiary, Syntroleum International Corporation, has signed a letter
agreement with Energy Equity Resources Limited (“EER”)
for the sale of Syntroleum’s exploration and
production holdings. Syntroleum could realize up to $25 million from
this sale, subject to certain conditions.
The transaction will be effected through the sale of 100 percent of the
stock of Syntroleum International Holdings, Ltd. and Syntroleum
International Holdings Company. Through a subsidiary, Syntroleum
International Holdings, Ltd. and Syntroleum International Holdings
Company own Syntroleum’s 25 percent cost
bearing interest in Oil Mining Lease (“OML”)
113, which includes the Aje field, and its 20 percent interest in the
Ajapa field in OML 90. Both fields are located off the coast of Nigeria.
EER has paid Syntroleum a non-refundable $2 million deposit, and will
also pay an additional $10 million to Syntroleum by April 1, 2007, or at
the time EER completes its raising of additional capital pursuant to any
form of private placement or public offering, whichever occurs first.
Payments of an additional $13 million could be earned from future
farm-outs of the Aje field and initial production from the Aje and Ajapa
fields. Closing of this transaction will occur on or before January 31,
2007.
“The monetization of our upstream exploration
and development interests through this transaction is beneficial to
Syntroleum on several fronts,” said Jack
Holmes, president and CEO of Syntroleum. “The
elimination of both our capital cost obligations and the commitment of
our management resources to upstream activities, coupled with the
proceeds realized from the sale will allow us to more closely focus on
the commercialization and funding of our portfolio of technologies on a
global basis.”
Previously, EER and Syntroleum’s subsidiary,
Syntroleum Nigeria, entered into agreements whereby EER obtained a 7.5
percent interest in OML 113, and a 20 percent interest in the Ajapa
field.
Syntroleum Corporation owns a proprietary process for converting natural
gas or synthesis gas derived from coal and other carbon-based feedstock
into synthetic liquid hydrocarbons. The company plans to use its
technology to develop and participate in natural gas and coal
monetization projects in a number of global locations.
This document includes forward-looking statements as well as
historical information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements relating to the amount of oil, natural gas and
GTL productreserves, possible production rates, drilling
results, oil and gas exploration and development plans and operations,
oil and gas well characteristics, cost and productivity, negotiations
with industry participants and governmental entities, project financing
and timing, receipt and amount of project revenues, and the use and
effectiveness of the Syntroleum Process and related technologies and
products. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "believe,"
"estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "plan," "should," “could,”
and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that
identify forward-looking statements. Although Syntroleum believes that
its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are
reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no
assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these
forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the
failure to receive governmental approvals, the failure to assign a
participating interest to Syntroleum and/or to an industry participant,
failure of the wells to produce as the previous test wells, the
potential that commercial-scale GTL plants will not achieve the same
results as those demonstrated on a laboratory or pilot basis or that
such plants will experience technological and mechanical problems, the
potential that improvements to the Syntroleum Process currently under
development may not be successful, the impact on plant economics of
operating conditions (including energy prices), construction risks, the
ability to implement corporate strategies, competition, intellectual
property risks, Syntroleum’s ability to
obtain financing and other risks described in the company’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
®“Syntroleum”
is registered as a trademark and service mark in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office