HRT signs Farm-In with TNK-Brasil for Solimões Blocks

abarrelfull wrote on 01 Nov 2011 06:59
Tags: brazil deals hrt tnk-bp upstream

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HRT Participações em Petróleo S.A. (the “Company” or “HRT”) (BM&FBOVESPA: HRTP3, TSX-V: HRP), announces that its subsidiary HRT O&G Exploração e Produção de Petróleo Ltda. (“HRT O&G”) and a Brazilian subsidiary of TNK- BP, TNK-Brasil Exploração e Produção de Óleo e Gás Natural Ltda. (“TNK-Brasil”), have signed a Farm-In Agreement relating to the transfer of a 45% interest in concession rights over 21 blocks located in the Sedimentary Basin of Solimões covering an area of approximately 48,500 square kilometers (the “Transfer”).

According to the terms agreed to by the parties, once the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis - ANP) (“ANP”) approves the assignment of the concession rights from Petra Energia S.A. to HRT O&G (for which the call option was exercised on May 25, 2011), HRT O&G will effect the Transfer and will receive US$ 1 billion from TNK-Brasil over a two year period. HRT O&G will remain as operator of the blocks that are subject to the Transfer.

HRT O&G will also have the right to additional payments by TNK-Brasil which comprise reimbursement of past costs and earn-out, US$ 0.73/bbl for every barrel above 500 million BOE of total 2P reserves, which may reach up to US$ 5 billion, for a ten year period after approval of the Transfer by ANP.

TNK Brasil will have an option (exercisable 30 months after approval of the Transfer by ANP) to acquire additional 10% of HRT O&G´s concession rights in the Solimões blocks (“call”), which should be priced based on resources and reserves. Should the call not be exercised, HRT O&G will have the right to sell the same 10% to TNK-Brasil (“put”), on similar terms.

In order to carry out the transaction, besides using its own staff, HRT O&G was advised by Vinson & Elkins LLP and Goldman Sachs.

• HRT signs Farm-In with TNK-Brasil for Solimões Blocks

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