WHITECAP RESOURCES INC. CLOSES THE VEREN COMBINATION CREATING A LEADING CANADIAN OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCER, AND INCREASES PRODUCTION GUIDANCE
The combined company will be led by Whitecap's management team along with an eleven-member Board of Directors including seven Whitecap directors:
NON-STRATEGIC ASSET DISPOSITIONS
Whitecap has entered into two agreements to dispose of certain non-strategic assets for aggregate consideration of
2025 GUIDANCE
After accounting for the Veren combination and the non-strategic asset dispositions, we are increasing our average 2025 production forecast to 295,000 – 300,000 boe/d (63% liquids) on capital expenditures of approximately
Unconventional
We plan to allocate approximately 75% of our second half capital budget to our Montney and
Application of our unconventional development workflows on the acquired lands has already commenced and we will now proceed with the integration of the two technical teams and undertake detailed reviews of the respective assets. Through this process, we will investigate opportunities for overall enhancement of the asset base through variations on development, including well spacing, benching, completions technology, and drawdown strategies. As with our development to date, our priority remains on long-term value generation from these lands through deliberate progression of capital efficiency improvement initiatives.
Montney
At Musreau, we plan to drill a 6-well (6.0 net) pad late in the second quarter which will be completed in early 2026 as plant capacity becomes available. We are also investigating debottlenecking options at this facility in order to modestly enhance the pace of development of these lands, which could add 10% – 20% of incremental throughput.
In Kakwa, completions are scheduled to commence late in the second quarter on our latest 4-well (4.0 net) pad, with production onstream in the third quarter. This pad features inter-well spacing of 250 metres, consistent with our inter-well spacing pilots in Kakwa in 2023 which were successful in improving per-well recoveries. We are also anticipating the spud of an 8-well (1.6 net) non-op pad in the area, which will be drilled in later 2025 and on production in 2026.
In Lator, a planned 3-well (3.0 net) pad at 10-24-061-03W6 will continue to progress our technical delineation in this area. This pad is positioned to further confirm the productive capability of the core of our land base and quantify the impact of interaction between a variety of offset development conditions. Our 04-13 facility is expected to commence earthworks and civil construction in the second half of this year as we continue to progress towards a late 2026/early 2027 commissioning and startup. Costs of the facility are expected to remain within our original expectations of
In
In the second half of the year, we plan to drill 35 (32.5 net)
Included in those activities are 11 (11.0 net) wells in the volatile oil window of Kaybob North, and 24 (21.5 net) wells in the liquids-rich gas window of Kaybob South. We expect that this will result in our 15-07 gas processing facility operating at capacity of approximately 36,500 boe/d in the third quarter of 2025. Concurrently, a recently constructed connection to a nearby third-party processing facility will be commissioned which will allow for incremental productive capacity of approximately 7,000 boe/d.
We expect significant infrastructure synergies to come from the Kaybob area where we plan to reduce capital expenditure duplication on trunk lines, compression, and associated development infrastructure.
Conventional
We plan to invest approximately 25% of our second half capital budget on our conventional assets which includes drilling 91 (74.8 net) wells in
In eastern
In western
At Viewfield, we plan to drill 17 (11.1 net) Bakken wells including 9 open hole multi-lateral wells ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 miles in length with approximately 8 legs per well. The remaining development will target historical horizontal multi-stage fracturing designs.
At
Alberta
Our conventional assets in
STRONG CREDIT PROFILE
Whitecap has also entered into a new
Whitecap's materially improved business risk profile, low leverage and ample liquidity positions us well to navigate through the current market volatility and to execute on our long-term strategic priorities.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
We continue to prioritize balance sheet strength by ensuring capital expenditures and dividends are covered by our funds flow. Our capital investments are focused on capital efficiencies and free funds flow generation with a long-term organic production growth target of 3% – 5% per share4 enhanced by share repurchases. The dividend provides stable and reliable cash returns to shareholders during periods of commodity price volatility and is well supported by a best-in-class portfolio with decades of free funds flow generation and an excellent balance sheet with low leverage and ample liquidity.
The integration of Veren's assets is well underway and expected to be seamless given the significant operational overlap, our technical expertise in each of the areas and our proven ability to effectively acquire, integrate and optimize historical acquisitions. We will use our technical, operating and financial expertise to realize the previously identified
NOTES
1 |
Disclosure of production on a per boe basis in this press release consists of the constituent product types and their respective quantities disclosed herein. Refer to Barrel of Oil Equivalency and Production & Product Type Information in this press release for additional disclosure. |
2 |
Based on the following commodity pricing and exchange rate assumptions for the remainder of 2025: |
3 |
Funds flow and net debt are capital management measures. Annualized funds flow and net debt to annualized funds flow ratio are supplementary financial measures. Refer to the Specified Financial Measures section in this press release for additional disclosure and assumptions. |
4 |
Production per share is the Company's total crude oil, NGL and natural gas production volumes for the applicable period divided by the weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding for the applicable period. Production per share growth is determined in comparison to the applicable comparative period. |
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's plans and other aspects of our anticipated future operations, management focus, strategies, financial, operating and production results and business opportunities. Forward-looking information typically uses words such as "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "trend", "sustain", "project", "expect", "forecast", "budget", "goal", "guidance", "plan", "objective", "strategy", "target", "intend", "estimate", "potential", or similar words suggesting future outcomes, statements that actions, events or conditions "may", "would", "could" or "will" be taken or occur in the future, including statements about our strategy, plans, focus, objectives, priorities and position.
In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this press release contains forward-looking information with respect to: our belief that we have an enviable portfolio of premium drilling opportunities that provides multi-decades of sustainable production and funds flow growth; our belief that we will leverage the combined asset base and technical expertise to drive incremental improvements to profitability and increased returns to shareholders; our expectation that each of the non-strategic asset dispositions will close on the anticipated terms and timing; our forecast for 2025 and second half 2025 production, including by product type; our forecast for 2025 and second half 2025 capital expenditures; our second half drilling program including the allocation by formation and the timing of on production; our expectations with respect to our application to our unconventional development workflows on acquired land and our plan to investigate opportunities for overall enhancement of the asset base through variations on development, including well spacing, benching, completions technology, and drawdown strategies; our expectation that our priority will remain on long-term generation from our acquired lands through deliberate progression of capital efficiency improvement initiatives; the anticipated timing for our drilling plans and available infrastructure capacity at Musreau; our belief that debottlenecking options at Musreau could add 10% - 20% of throughput; the anticipated timing for completions on our latest 4-well (4.0 net) pad at Kakwa and the anticipated timing for production coming onstream; our plans for the spud of an 8-well (1.6 net) non-op pad in the Kakwa, which is expected to be drilled in the later part of 2025 and on production in 2026; our belief that the planned 3-well (3.0 net) pad at 10-24-061-03W6 is positioned to further confirm the productive capability of the core of our land base and quantify the impact of interaction between a variety of offset development conditions; the anticipated timing of earthworks and civil construction of our 04-13 facility at Lator; our expectation for costs of the 04-13 facility and how such costs will be funded; our drilling plans for
The forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by our management, including: the duration and impact of tariffs that are currently in effect on goods exported from or imported into
Although we believe that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Whitecap can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking information addresses future events and conditions, by its very nature it involves inherent risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to: the risk that the funds that we ultimately return to shareholders through dividends and/or share repurchases is less than currently anticipated and/or is delayed, whether due to the risks identified herein or otherwise; the risk that any of our material assumptions prove to be materially inaccurate, including our 2025 forecast (including for commodity prices and currency exchange rates); the risk that (i) the tariffs that are currently in effect on goods exported from or imported into
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists of factors are not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect our operations or financial results are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca).
These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and we disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
This press release contains future-oriented financial information and financial outlook information (collectively, "FOFI") about the amount of cash consideration to be received by Whitecap from the non-strategic asset dispositions disclosed herein; the amount of capital expenditures that we expect to make in 2025 and the second half of 2025; our forecast of average daily production for 2025 and the second half of 2025: the costs of our 04-13 battery at Lator being still within our original expectations of
OIL & GAS ADVISORIES
Barrel of Oil Equivalency
"Boe" means barrel of oil equivalent. All boe conversions in this press release are derived by converting gas to oil at the ratio of six thousand cubic feet ("Mcf") of natural gas to one barrel ("Bbl") of oil. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A Boe conversion rate of 1 Bbl : 6 Mcf 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 of oil compared to natural gas based on currently prevailing prices is significantly different than the energy equivalency ratio of 1 Bbl : 6 Mcf, utilizing a conversion ratio of 1 Bbl : 6 Mcf may be misleading as an indication of value.
"Decline rate" is the reduction in the rate of production from one period to the next, expressed on an annual basis. Management of Whitecap uses decline rate to assess future productivity of Whitecap's assets.
Production & Product Type Information
References to petroleum, crude oil, natural gas liquids ("NGLs"), natural gas and average daily production in this press release refer to the light and medium crude oil, tight crude oil, conventional natural gas, shale gas and NGLs product types, as applicable, as defined in National Instrument 51-101 ("NI 51-101"), except as noted below.
NI 51-101 includes condensate within the NGLs product type. The Company has disclosed condensate as combined with crude oil and separately from other NGLs since the price of condensate as compared to other NGLs is currently significantly higher and the Company believes that this crude oil and condensate presentation provides a more accurate description of its operations and results therefrom. Crude oil therefore refers to light oil, medium oil, tight oil and condensate. NGLs refers to ethane, propane, butane and pentane combined. Natural gas refers to conventional natural gas and shale gas combined. Liquids refers to crude oil and NGLs combined.
The Company's forecast average daily production for the southwest
Whitecap Corporate |
|
SW Sask |
2025 (mid-point) |
2H/2025 (mid-point) |
Light and medium oil (bbls/d) |
|
7,150 |
88,000 |
95,000 |
Tight oil (bbls/d) |
|
- |
67,000 |
94,000 |
Crude oil (bbls/d) |
|
7,000 |
155,000 |
189,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
NGLs (bbls/d) |
|
50 |
32,000 |
38,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Shale gas (Mcf/d) |
|
- |
495,000 |
660,000 |
Conventional natural gas (Mcf/d) |
|
4,800 |
168,000 |
168,000 |
Natural gas (Mcf/d) |
|
4,800 |
663,000 |
828,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total (boe/d) |
|
8,000 |
297,500 |
365,000 |
SPECIFIED FINANCIAL MEASURES
This press release includes various specified financial measures, including capital management measures and supplementary financial measures as further described herein. These financial measures are not standardized financial measures under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS Accounting Standards" or, alternatively, "GAAP") and, therefore, may not be comparable with the calculation of similar financial measures disclosed by other companies.
"Annualized funds flow" is a supplementary financial measure that is used by management as a substitute for annual funds flow when a material transaction (such as the business combination with Veren) or other material change occurs during the middle of the year and as a result annual funds flow is less meaningful. It is calculated by grossing the applicable number of days being analyzed (such as a quarter or half year) up to 365. Annualized funds flow for the purposes of the "net debt to annualized funds flow ratio" disclosed herein is calculated based on estimated funds flow for the fourth quarter of 2025.
"
Funds flow" is a capital management measure and is a key measure of operating performance as it demonstrates Whitecap's ability to generate the cash necessary to pay dividends, repay debt, make capital investments, and/or to repurchase common shares under the Company's normal course issuer bid. Management believes that by excluding the temporary impact of changes in non-cash operating working capital, funds flow provides a useful measure of Whitecap's ability to generate cash that is not subject to short-term movements in non-cash operating working capital. Refer to the "Cash Flow from Operating Activities, Funds Flow and Free Funds Flow" section of our management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended
" Net Debt" is a capital management measure that management considers to be key to assessing the Company's liquidity. See Note 5(e)(i) "Capital Management – Net Debt and Total Capitalization" in the Company's unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2025 for additional disclosures. The following table reconciles the Company's long-term debt to net debt:
Net Debt ($ millions) |
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
|
826.2 |
1,023.8 |
1,392.6 |
Cash |
|
- |
(362.3) |
- |
Accounts receivable |
|
(442.3) |
(422.2) |
(435.8) |
Deposits and prepaid expenses |
|
(19.8) |
(22.4) |
(30.2) |
Non-current deposits |
|
(86.6) |
(86.6) |
(82.9) |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
|
673.7 |
767.1 |
615.3 |
Dividends payable |
|
35.7 |
35.7 |
36.4 |
Net Debt |
|
986.9 |
933.1 |
1,495.4 |
"Net Debt to annualized funds flow ratio" is a supplementary financial measure determined by dividing net debt at the end of the applicable period by annualized funds flow. Net debt to annualized funds flow is not a standardized measure and, therefore, may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures by other entities.
SOURCE