HOUSTON, TX — (Marketwire) — 05/23/12 — Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (NYSE: MHR) (NYSE Amex: MHR-PrC) (NYSE Amex: MHR-PrD) (“Magnum Hunter” or the “Company”) announced today the closing of its previously announced acquisition of certain Bakken/Three Forks Sanish properties located in the Williston Basin of North Dakota from Baytex Energy USA Ltd. (a subsidiary of Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX: BTE) (NYSE: BTE)) for $311 million, as adjusted for certain customary adjustments. The acquisition was financed with proceeds from a combination of the Company–s recently closed senior notes and common stock offerings.
With this closing, the Williston Basin Division now has an approximate 47.5% working interest in the acquired properties. Samson Resources Company is the current operator of the properties, and pursuant to the Joint Operating Agreement, has the option under an existing area of mutual interest provision, to participate in the acquisition, which it may choose to exercise within a specified period of time subsequent to closing.
Pursuant to the acquisition and assuming Samson does not participate, Magnum Hunter has acquired 50,414 net mineral acres located primarily in Divide County, North Dakota, which expands the Company–s total Williston Basin position to over 125,000 net acres. Total proved reserves attributable to the acquired properties are estimated at 8.6 million BOE and are approximately 93% oil. Current net production capacity is 1,295 Bopd, which includes an estimated 350 Bopd that is behind-pipe or waiting to be completed from wells recently drilled on the leasehold acreage.
The 2012 capital budget for the Williston Basin Division has been increased to $170 million. With the significant new drilling anticipated for the remainder of 2012, the current estimated daily production exit rate net to the Company–s ownership interest at the end of this year is presently estimated at 6,000 – 7,000 Boe per day.
The statements and information contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including any estimates and assumptions contained herein, are “forward looking statements” as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, referred to as the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, referred to as the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements, estimates and assumptions relating to our business and growth strategies, our oil and gas reserve estimates, our ability to successfully and economically explore for and develop oil and gas resources, our exploration and development prospects, future inventories, projects and programs, expectations relating to availability and costs of drilling rigs and field services, anticipated trends in our business or industry, our future results of operations, our liquidity and ability to finance our exploration and development activities and our midstream activities, market conditions in the oil and gas industry and the impact of environmental and other governmental regulation. In addition, with respect to any pending acquisitions described herein, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected timing of the completion of the proposed transactions; the ability to complete the proposed transactions considering the various closing conditions; the benefits of such transactions and their impact on the Company–s business; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In addition, if and when any proposed transaction is consummated, there will be risks and uncertainties related to the Company–s ability to successfully integrate the operations and employees of the Company and the acquired business. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “project”, “pursue”, “plan” or “continue” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology.
These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those anticipated in forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: adverse economic conditions in the United States, Canada and globally; difficult and adverse conditions in the domestic and global capital and credit markets; changes in domestic and global demand for oil and natural gas; volatility in the prices we receive for our oil and natural gas; the effects of government regulation, permitting and other legal requirements; future developments with respect to the quality of our properties, including, among other things, the existence of reserves in economic quantities; uncertainties about the estimates of our oil and natural gas reserves; our ability to increase our production and oil and natural gas income through exploration and development; our ability to successfully apply horizontal drilling techniques; the effects of increased federal and state regulation, including regulation of the environmental aspects, of hydraulic fracturing; the number of well locations to be drilled, the cost to drill and the time frame within which they will be drilled; drilling and operating risks; the availability of equipment, such as drilling rigs and transportation pipelines; changes in our drilling plans and related budgets; regulatory, environmental and land management issues, and demand for gas gathering services, relating to our midstream operations; and the adequacy of our capital resources and liquidity including, but not limited to, access to additional borrowing capacity.
These factors are in addition to the risks described in the “Risk Factors” and “Management–s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company–s 2011 annual report on Form 10-K, as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as the SEC. Most of these factors are difficult to anticipate and beyond our control. Because forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein, which speak only as of the date of this document. Other unknown or unpredictable factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We urge readers to review and consider disclosures we make in our reports that discuss factors germane to our business. See in particular our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K subsequently filed from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.
Gabe Scott
Vice President – Capital Markets and Corporate Development
(832) 203-4539