Exploration & Production | Quarterly / Earnings Reports | First Quarter (1Q) Update | Financial Results | Forecast - Production | Capital Markets
Devon Energy Sees Strong U.S. Growth in 1Q
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Devon Energy Corp. announced core earnings of $89 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2015. The Company’s total cash inflows for the quarter reached $2.2 billion, consisting of $1.6 billion of operating cash flow and $569 million of proceeds received from the sale of EnLink common units.
John Richels, president and CEO, commented: "Devon delivered outstanding operational results in the first quarter as we continued to deliver superior execution across our repositioned asset portfolio. Our focused drilling activity has generated production growth that exceeded our guidance for the third consecutive quarter, our capital programs benefited from substantial service cost savings and we did an exceptional job controlling operating expenses.
"Additionally, the proceeds from the sale of EnLink units allow us to further strengthen our investment-grade balance sheet and enhance our liquidity position. Combined with our recent sale of the Victoria Express Pipeline to EnLink, which closed early in the second quarter, we generated approximately $870 million of value for our shareholders at a substantial premium to Devon’s current trading multiple."
On a reported basis, due to a non-cash, full-cost ceiling charge, Devon had a net loss of $3.6 billion for the first-quarter 2015. This compares with first-quarter 2014 reported net earnings of $324 million.
Operations Report
Highlights:
- Eagle Ford delivers significant production growth
- Bone Spring and Powder River Basin type curves raised
- Jackfish 3 ramp-up drives growth in Canada
- Emerging Meramec potential expands
For a more detailed look at Devon's 1Q operations, click here.
Production Exceeds Guidance
Total production from Devon’s retained asset base averaged 685,000 oil-equivalent barrels (Boe) per day during the first quarter of 2015. This result exceeded the top end of the Company’s guidance range by 12,000 Boe per day and represents a 22 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2014. Liquids accounted for 60 percent of the Company’s production mix.
Devon delivered record oil production of 272,000 barrels per day in the first quarter. This result also exceeded the top end of the Company’s guidance range by 12,000 barrels per day and represents a 55 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2014. The most significant growth came from the Company’s U.S. operations, where oil production increased a substantial 72 percent for the quarter year over year.
The strong growth in U.S. production was largely attributable to prolific well results from the Company’s world-class Eagle Ford assets. Net production in the Eagle Ford averaged 122,000 Boe per day in the first quarter, a 23 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2014 and nearly a 140% increase in production compared to Devon’s first month of ownership in March 2014. In addition, the Company achieved another quarter of strong production growth in the Delaware Basin, where net production averaged 53,000 Boe per day, an increase of 15 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.
Devon’s heavy-oil operations in Canada also delivered impressive production growth. In aggregate, net oil production from the Company’s heavy-oil projects increased to a record 104,000 barrels per day in the first quarter. Driven by the continued ramp-up of the Jackfish 3 facility, net oil production in Canada increased 33 percent compared to the first quarter of 2014.
Devon Raises 2015 Production Outlook
Detailed forward-looking guidance for the second quarter and full-year 2015 is provided later in the release. A notable update from this revised outlook is Devon raising its total oil production growth to a range of 25 to 35 percent, a substantial increase from the Company’s previous full-year growth guidance of 20 to 25 percent. Due to the improving outlook for oil production, the Company has also raised its top-line production growth guidance in 2015 to a range of 5 to 10 percent.
In addition to higher production, Devon is also benefiting from lower capital requirements. The Company’s 2015 E&P capital program is now expected to range from $3.9 to $4.1 billion. This represents a $250 million reduction in capital spending compared to the Company’s previous guidance.
Hedges Increase Upstream Revenue
Revenue from oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids sales totaled $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2015, with oil revenue increasing to 64 percent of total upstream revenues. This increased oil sales weighting was attributable to the Company’s substantial growth in both U.S. and Canadian oil production during the quarter.
Cash settlements related to the Company’s oil and natural gas hedges increased revenue by nearly $600 million, or approximately $10 per Boe, in the first quarter. At the end of March, Devon’s commodity hedges had a fair-market value of $1.6 billion.
The Company’s midstream operating profit reached $193 million in the first quarter. This result represents a 6 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2014 and was right in line with guidance. The year-over-year increase in midstream operating profit was driven by continued growth from EnLink Midstream.
Cost Reduction Initiatives
The Company has several cost reduction initiatives underway that positively impacted first-quarter results. Field-level operating costs, which includes both lease operating expenses (LOE) and production taxes, declined 9 percent to $10.73 per Boe compared to the first quarter of 2014.
The most significant operating cost savings came from LOE, which is the Company’s largest field-level cost. LOE declined 7 percent compared to the year-ago period to $8.97 per Boe and was 7 percent below the low end of Devon’s guidance range. These LOE cost savings were realized across all regions of the Company’s portfolio.
Based on year-to-date cost savings, Devon now expects the midpoint of its full-year 2015 LOE to decline to around $9.30 per Boe. Compared to previous guidance, this implies a full-year cash cost savings of around $170 million.
Production and property taxes were $108 million in the first quarter of 2015, a 21 percent decline year over year. The decline was driven by lower production taxes resulting from lower upstream revenue.
General and administrative expenses (G&A) totaled $251 million in the first quarter of 2015, essentially flat compared to the fourth quarter of 2014. Of this first-quarter G&A expense, $41 million was attributable to non-cash related items. Excluding non-cash items, G&A declined 7 percent sequentially.
Excluding non-recurring items, Devon’s income tax rate was 36 percent of pre-tax earnings for the first quarter of 2015. Of this adjusted rate, the Company incurred a current tax rate of 8 percent, with a deferred tax rate of 28 percent for the quarter.
Midstream Transactions Strengthen Balance Sheet
Devon recently utilized its strategic investment in EnLink to further strengthen its financial position through a series of highly accretive transactions. In aggregate, the total value of these transactions for Devon was approximately $870 million.
The first of these transactions occurred on March 23, with the announced sale of its Victoria Express Pipeline in the Eagle Ford to EnLink Midstream Partners. Total consideration for this highly accretive transaction was approximately $215 million or about 10 times 2015 estimated EBITDA. This asset transaction closed on April 1, 2015, with cash proceeds received in the second quarter.
On March 24, Devon commenced a secondary offering of 22.8 million ENLK partnership units. This offering settled in late March, with the Company realizing total cash proceeds of $569 million. Subsequent to quarter end, underwriters fully exercised their option to purchase an additional 3.4 million ENLK partnership units from Devon. This resulted in an incremental $85 million of proceeds received in the second-quarter.
With investment-grade credit ratings and cash balances of $1.9 billion at the end of the first quarter, Devon’s financial position remains exceptionally strong. At March 31, the Company’s net debt, excluding non-recourse EnLink obligations, totaled $7.5 billion.