First quarter interim report 1 January – 31 March 2023

MAR

First quarter 2023 (fourth quarter 2022)

  • Oil export from the extended well test of the Al Jumd discovery started at the end of March following the installation and commissioning of the fiscal meter. The well test commenced in April with Al Jumd-2 being the first of the three wells to be opened.
  • Continued progress in seismic interpretation and prospect maturation on Blocks 56 and 58 ahead of an exploration drilling programme scheduled for the second half of the year.
  • The drilling of three exploration wells on Blocks 3&4 commenced in the first quarter, with promising initial results and further testing to be conducted in the second quarter.
  • Production in the quarter amounted to 9,411 barrels of oil per day, (9,441).
  • Revenue and other income was MUSD 35.3 (43.2) and EBITDA MUSD 18.7 (27.8), both impacted by slightly lower entitlement of 52% (54%) and a lower achieved oil of USD 81.7 per barrel (93.3).
  • Cash flow from operations amounted to MUSD 20.4 (25.2) with the investments in oil and gas properties amounted to 20.0 (24.6).
  • Blocks 3&4 contributed with a netback net of capex of MUSD 2.4 in the first quarter (7.5).
MUSD, unless specifically statedFirst quarter 2023Fourth quarter 2022First quarter 2022Full year 2022
Net daily production, before government take, barrels per day9,4119,44110,4759,940
Production before government take, bbl847,002868,589942,7683,628,074
Net entitlement barrels, bbl440,441467,564433,0521,664,363
Net entitlement as share of production, percent52%54%46%46%

    
Achieved Oil Price, USD/bbl81.793.380.494.2
 
   
Revenue and other income35.343.234.6156.5
EBITDA18.727.820.299.1
Operating result7.714.88.754.2
Net result8.013.09.958.3
Earnings per share, after dilution, USD0.250.400.301.78
     
Cash flow from operations20.425.211.687.0
Investments in oil and gas properties20.024.624.689.1
Free cash flow0.40.4-13.1-2.3
Cash and cash equivalents39.941.555.441.5


Letter to shareholders

Dear Friends and Investors,

Finally, as the first quarter was drawing to a close, the fiscal meter for the extended well test (“EWT”) on Block 56 was commissioned allowing for the test to begin in earnest in early April. The three horizontal wells drilled on the Al Jumd discovery last year will now be evaluated, and the structure appraised for commercial viability. An important, if not decisive, milestone has been reached in the continuing exploration of onshore Block 56!

The other major Block 56 event in the first quarter was the finalisation of the processing of the Central Area seismic. Interpretation is ongoing and by the end of the second quarter we hope to have identified several drillable prospects to be tested by the drill bit in the second half of 2023.

On Block 58 seismic interpretation is further along with work on the Fahd area completed, drillable prospects identified, and prospective resources estimated and risked. Interpretation of the Lahan area is nearing completion and these carbonate stringers imbedded in salt hold interesting potential but the year’s exploration drilling in Block 58 will most likely target the large Fahd prospects.

Exploration drilling on Block 58 and Block 56 will be the main focus areas for the second half of the year and with prospective resources well close to 200 million barrels of oil, success could be transformative.

We expect to revisit our old friend on Block 49, the Thameen-1 well, later this year, most likely in the third quarter. The well will undergo a re-test and preparations and tendering for the services needed to re-enter the well and conduct hydraulic fracturing operations in the tight sandstone are ongoing.

With so much activity on our operated blocks it is almost easy to forget our non-operated 30 percent in Blocks 3&4. However, there were some encouraging exploration activities on these blocks as well. Three exploration wells were drilled, all of which encountered oil. The two near field ones, Elaf-1 and Rahbah-1 are undergoing production testing and evaluation, the results of which are eagerly awaited.

The far field Jari-1 well, drilled to test a large, so far unproven play, in the southern part of Block 4, encountered oil while drilling in tight sandstone of pre-Cambrian age. This Cryogenian sandstone, known locally as the Abu Mahara, is prolific in the area and, if the play works, substantial resources could be unlocked. As expected, the reservoir was too tight to allow flows to surface and the next step is to further evaluate the well by doing what Tethys is doing in Thameen in Block 49, test after creating fractures. We would not expect any results until the end of the second quarter, but those results will also be eagerly awaited.

But of course, exploration is not primarily what Blocks 3&4 are about. These blocks are the source of our production and cash flow. The operator CCED managed to stabilise production during the quarter at more than 31,000 barrels of oil per day, corresponding to almost 9,500 barrels of oil per day for Tethys 30 percent stake. Infrastructure improvements continued and water handling stabilised and with four rigs in operation we would expect to see further contribution to production as the exploration focus of the first quarter changes back to production and appraisal drilling in and around the producing fields.

Oil prices above USD 80 contributed to a strong operating cash flow of MUSD 20 which funded our continued strong investments during the quarter and also a comparatively high opex of about USD 17 per barrel. First quarter opex has historically been comparatively high and we would expect opex per barrel to come down as the year evolves. Net entitlement returned to 52 percent, reflecting the high level of capex and opex, resulting in a cash flow contribution from Blocks 3&4 of MUSD 2.4 which covered investments in our other blocks.

With continued strong potential in Blocks 3&4 and with fast moving exploration and appraisal activities in our operated Blocks 49, 56 and 58, I can but reiterate:

Stay with us, the year has just begun.

Stockholm, May 2023
Magnus Nordin
Managing Director

CONFERENCE CALL

Date: 9 May 2023
Time: 10.00 CEST

To participate in the conference call, you may choose one of the following options:

Link to webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/pedz392j

To participate via phone, please register here to receive dial-in information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Magnus Nordin, Managing Director, phone: +46 8 505 947 00
Petter Hjertstedt, CFO, phone: +46 8 505 947 10

For investor relations inquiries: ir@tethysoil.com

Datum 2023-05-09, kl 07:30
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