Quarterly / Earnings Reports | First Quarter (1Q) Update | Deals - Licenses and Concessions | Financial Results | Capital Markets
Americas Petrogas Doubles Vaca Mahuida Block Interest
Americas Petrogas Inc. has announced its first quarter 2016 results.
All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.
Corporate
As at March 31, 2016, the Company had $44.4 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents and had a positive consolidated working capital position of $56.1 million.
The decrease in working capital from December 31, 2015 ($62.6 million) to March 31, 2016 ($56.1 million) can be attributed primarily to (i) the acquisition of the remaining 30% interest in the Bayovar Property, which resulted in a cash payment, the recognition of a liability to the Peruvian Group and the transfer of a receivable from the Peruvian Group (which was included in other current assets at December 31, 2015) to exploration and evaluation assets; (ii) the impact on the Company's U.S. dollar denominated financial instruments of the weakening of the U.S. dollar relative to the Canadian dollar; and (iii) partially offset by the reclassification of some available-for-sale financial assets from non-current assets to current assets.
Peru
- Further infill core drilling on Bayovar 7 and reconnaissance drilling on Bayovar 5 has been completed and lab analysis and geological evaluations are ongoing. The Company expects to have a further resource update in June 2016, which will incorporate the results of this additional drilling on the Bayovar concessions.
- On February 16, 2016, the Company announced the engagement of WorleyParsons Services Pty Limited and Golder Associates Ltd. to undertake a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Bayovar 5 and Bayovar 7 concession blocks. In order to incorporate new drilling results on these two concessions and the expected June 2016 resource update into the PEA report, the Company now anticipates releasing the results of the PEA in Q3-2016.
- Expansion of the pilot evaporation ponds for Carnallite/Kainite has been substantially completed and pilot testing is underway using the expanded ponds. Pending results of the pilot testing, the Company will assess its plans for future commercial production for Carnallite/Kainite.
- Early in 2016, the Company's Peruvian subsidiary, APPSA, acquired the remaining 30% interest in the Bayovar Property from the Peruvian Group. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, payments to be made to the Peruvian Group total US$8.0 million, payable over a period of time. An initial payment of US$0.5 million was paid upon signing the agreement and a further US$2.0 million is expected to be paid in June 2016.
Argentina
The Company now holds a 50% working interest in Vaca Mahuida block, after having acquired, for no cost, an additional 25% interest from the former operator of the block. The Company is now the operator of this block and its other joint venture partner holds the remaining 50% interest. The Company is continuing to evaluate the economics relating to the Vaca Mahuida block and is planning to submit a new development plan to the Rio Negro provincial government in order to seek an exploitation concession on the block.
Outlook
Abby Badwi Executive Chairman of Americas Petrogas stated: "For 2016, the Company will continue with its plans in Peru to expand its exploration and economic assessment activities of its phosphate deposits on the Bayovar blocks while also working towards achieving an initial amount of production of Carnallite/Kainite from the brine resources in the same area. As for Argentina, the Company will continue to pursue its various options to maximize value of its assets in the country. The recent development of increasing the Company's interest, assuming operatorship and trying to obtain an exploitation concession on the Vaca Mahuida block may enhance the opportunity to achieve this objective."
More Deals - Licenses and Concessions News

Iraq Energy Cabinet, Schlumberger Ink $480MM Well Deal
Iraq's energy cabinet has awarded Schlumberger Ltd. a drilling contract worth ~$480 million, according to multiple reports. The agreement features the drilling of 96 oil wells in the…

Point Loma Awarded Drilling Licenses for Mannville Rex Area; Preps to Drill
Point Loma Resources has received two well licenses for the Leduc Rex (Upper Mannville) oil play in Alberta and intends to commence a two well drilling program shortly.…

Queensland Officials Award New Gas Exploration Licenses to Four Companies
Officials from the Australian province of Queensland have awarded new gas exploration licenses to several companies. Armour Energy, Chi Oil & Gas, Cypress Petroleum and Bridgeport Energy were…

Faroe Reports Commencement of North Sea Goanna Project
Faroe Petroleum has commenced drilling at its Goanna license in the Norwegian North Sea. The License is located in PL 881 offshore Norway. Faroe holds a 30% stake…
Statoil Expands Presence Offshore Suriname; Two New Exploration Licenses
Statoil has scored two additional offshore exploration licenses in Suriname's Guyana Basin. - Block 59: Statoil has been awarded 33.33% equity interest. ExxonMobil is the operator. Block 59…
Latin America News

Frontera Energy's Colombian Assets: A Contested Acquisition Emerges in Latin America's E&P Sector
Background Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC), a publicly listed Canadian holding company with upstream oil and gas operations in Colombia, has become the center of a contested acquisition…

Chevron, Quantum prepare joint bid for Lukoil’s international assets
Chevron and private equity firm Quantum Energy Partners are preparing a joint bid for the international assets of Russian oil major Lukoil, a package estimated to be worth…

Venezuela: Rebuild Potential vs. Stop/Start Reality — What It Means for International OFS
Venezuela: Rebuild Potential vs. Stop/Start Reality — What It Means for International OFS According to Reuters, Venezuela’s oil sector remains a high-potential but fragile opportunity: it holds massive…

Gran Tierra Energy To Step Down Activity in 2026
Gran Tierra Energy’s 2026 development plan reflects a step-down in spending and activity as the company transitions from fulfilling Ecuador exploration commitments in 2025 toward a free-cash-flow-focused program.…

Parex Advances Llanos Foothills Exploration Alliance with Ecopetrol
Parex and strategic partner Ecopetrol provided an update on their Llanos Foothills exploration program, noting that a full strategic alliance has effectively been achieved and that key Foothills…
South America News

Continental Resources to Acquire 90% Stake in Vaca Muerta Shale Concession
Continental Resources Inc. has agreed to acquire a 90% operating stake in the Los Toldos II Oeste block, a shale concession within Argentina’s Vaca Muerta formation, marking a…

Vaca Muerta 2025–2026: Acceleration, Optimization, and Strategic Impact
Vaca Muerta, Argentina’s premier shale play, is undergoing a major transformation under YPF’s aggressive growth strategy. As presented during YPF’s 2025 Investor Day, the next two years (2025–2026)…

Argentina/Vaca Muerta Developers to Double Well Activity; Increase Frac Fleets
YPF has set some ambitious goals to grow oil production to ~500mbo/d by 2030. To accomplish this the company plans to almost double well count in '26 from…

Hess Corporation First Quarter 2023 Results
Hess Corp. announced its first quarter 2023 results. Highlights Net income was $346 million, or $1.13 per share, compared with net income of $417 million, or $1.34 per…

Shell Fourth Quarter, Full Year 2022 Results
Shell plc reported its fourth quarter and full year 2022 results. Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan commented: "Our results in Q4 and across the full year demonstrate the…