Pinkston said: “Processing and liquids sold volumes continue to increase and gas gathered volumes remain strong. In our Mid-continent operations, we are in the process of replacing the existing plant on our Cashion system with a high-efficiency gas processing plant. The new plant is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2012. It will increase our processing capacity and will improve our liquids recovery capability by 12 to 15%. The Cashion plant gathers gas across Logan, Canadian, Oklahoma and Kingfisher Counties in Oklahoma. In the Mississippi Lime play in Grant County, Oklahoma, our new gathering system and processing plant became operational in October. One well is online and three more wells are in the process of being connected. We anticipate an additional 25 to 30 wells to be connected during 2012 due to active drilling by multiple producers in the area around the plant. This is our entrance into the Mississippi Lime play. In our Appalachian operations, we are in the final stages of completing a 16-mile, 16" pipeline and a compressor station in Preston County, West Virginia, which will have a capacity of approximately 220.0 MMcf per day. Currently, we have four wells connected with an expected total initial flow volume in the 8 to 10 MMcf per day range. Three additional wells have been drilled and are waiting on completion prior to being connected. We anticipate this pipeline will be operational during the fourth quarter of 2011. In addition to the Preston County pipeline, we recently signed a letter of intent with a third party to construct a pipeline in Allegheny and Butler Counties of Pennsylvania. First flow of gas from this new system is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2011. Expectations are that the first well will flow up to 10 MMcf per day, and we anticipate four more wells to be drilled and connected during the first half of 2012.”
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Unit ended the third quarter of 2011 with working capital of $57.9 million, long-term debt of $305.4 million ($250 million of senior subordinated notes and $55.4 million of senior credit facility), and a debt to capitalization ratio of 14%. On September 13, 2011, Unit entered into a new five year unsecured senior credit facility. Under the credit facility, the amount available for Unit to borrow is the lesser of the amount Unit elects as the commitment amount (currently $250 million) or the value of the borrowing base as determined by the lenders (currently $600 million), but in either event not to exceed the maximum credit facility amount of $750 million. As of September 30, 2011, Unit had $55.4 million in borrowings outstanding under its credit facility.
MANAGEMENT COMMENT
Larry Pinkston said: “We are pleased with the operating results of the third quarter and first nine months of 2011. For the remainder of the year, we will continue to focus our exploration efforts on our oil and natural gas liquids rich prospects like the Granite Wash and Marmaton formations. Our contract drilling operations will continue responding to our customers’ demands for horizontal drilling by continuing to refurbish and upgrade our existing drilling rigs and, where appropriate, adding new drilling rigs to our fleet. Our midstream segment continues to grow its operations as evidenced by the new projects in the Mid-continent and Appalachia areas. We are optimistic about the remainder of 2011 and we are well positioned, especially given the recent financing arrangements we have completed, to take advantage of growth opportunities that arise in all three of our business segments.”
WEBCAST
Unit will webcast its third quarter earnings conference call live over the Internet on November 2, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern). To listen to the live call, please go to www.unitcorp.com at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call to download and install any necessary audio software. For those who are not available to listen to the live webcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call and will remain on the site for 90 days.
_____________________________________________________
Unit Corporation is a Tulsa-based, publicly held energy company engaged through its subsidiaries in oil and gas exploration, production, contract drilling and gas gathering and processing. Unit’s Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UNT. For more information about Unit Corporation, visit its website at http://www.unitcorp.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the private Securities Litigation Reform Act. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements, including the impact that the current decline in wells being drilled will have on production and drilling rig utilization, productive capabilities of the Company’s wells, future demand for oil and natural gas, future drilling rig utilization and dayrates, projected growth of the Company’s oil and natural gas production, oil and gas reserve information, as well as its ability to meet its future reserve replacement goals, anticipated gas gathering and processing rates and throughput volumes, the prospective capabilities of the reserves associated with the Company’s inventory of future drilling sites, anticipated oil and natural gas prices, the number of wells to be drilled by the Company’s exploration segment, development, operational, implementation and opportunity risks, possible delays caused by limited availability of third party services needed in the course of its operations, possibility of future growth opportunities, and other factors described from time to time in the Company’s publicly available SEC reports. The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Selected Financial and Operations Highlights
(In thousands except per share and operations data)
| Three Months Ended | | Nine Months Ended | |
| September 30, | | September 30, | |
| 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
Statement of Operations: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Contract drilling | $ | 128,927 | | $ | 85,004 | | $ | 342,098 | | $ | 217,919 | |
Oil and natural gas | | 134,897 | | | 96,562 | | | 376,393 | | | 286,751 | |
Gas gathering and processing | | 60,688 | | | 37,429 | | | 144,820 | | | 114,908 | |
Other, net | | (667 | ) | | (879 | ) | | (566 | ) | | 9,691 | |
Total revenues | | 323,845 | | | 218,116 | | | 862,745 | | | 629,269 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Contract drilling: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating costs | | 73,004 | | | 45,406 | | | 190,086 | | | 132,847 | |
Depreciation | | 20,818 | | | 18,469 | | | 57,333 | | | 48,700 | |
Oil and natural gas: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating costs | | 29,598 | | | 27,092 | | | 93,796 | | | 75,943 | |
Depreciation, depletion | | | | | | | | | | | | |
and amortization | | 47,195 | | | 30,091 | | | 132,013 | | | 81,746 | |
Gas gathering and processing: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating costs | | 53,299 | | | 30,743 | | | 119,143 | | | 92,407 | |
Depreciation | | | | | | | | | | | | |
and amortization | | 4,017 | | | 3,823 | | | 11,627 | | | 11,746 | |
General and administrative | | 7,800 | | | 6,637 | | | 22,188 | | | 19,372 | |
Interest, net | | 1,351 | | | --- | | | 2,078 | | | --- | |
Total expenses | | 237,082 | | | 162,261 | | | 628,264 | | | 462,761 | |
Income Before Income Taxes | | 86,763 | | | 55,855 | | | 234,481 | | | 166,508 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income Tax Expense: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Current | | (3,949 | ) | | (8,553 | ) | | (3,949 | ) | | (2,488 | ) |
Deferred | | 37,352 | | | 29,917 | | | 94,224 | | | 66,177 | |
Total income taxes | | 33,403 | | | 21,364 | | | 90,275 | | | 63,689 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net Income | $ | 53,360 | | $ | 34,491 | | $ | 144,206 | | $ | 102,819 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net Income per Common Share: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic | $ | 1.12 | | $ | 0.73 | | $ | 3.03 | | $ | 2.18 | |
Diluted | $ | 1.11 | | $ | 0.73 | | $ | 3.01 | | $ | 2.17 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Weighted Average Common | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares Outstanding: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic | | 47,687 | | | 47,358 | | | 47,642 | | | 47,217 | |
Diluted | | 47,968 | | | 47,495 | | | 47,932 | | | 47,384 | |
| | September 30, | | | | December 31, | |
| | 2011 | | | | 2010 | |
Balance Sheet Data: | | | | | | | | | |
Current assets | | $ | 235,970 | | | | $ | 188,180 | |
Total assets | | $ | 3,165,251 | | | | $ | 2,669,240 | |
Current liabilities | | $ | 178,056 | | | | $ | 147,128 | |
Long-term debt | | $ | 305,400 | | | | $ | 163,000 | |
Other long-term liabilities | | $ | 112,701 | | | | $ | 92,389 | |
Deferred income taxes | | $ | 658,659 | | | | $ | 556,106 | |
Shareholders’ equity | | $ | 1,910,435 | | | | $ | 1,710,617 | |
| | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |
| | 2011 | | | | 2010 | |
Statement of Cash Flows Data: | | | | | | | | | |
Cash Flow From Operations before Changes | | | | | | | | | |
in Operating Assets and Liabilities (1) | | $ | 450,725 | | | | $ | 309,861 | |
Net Change in Operating Assets and Liabilities | | | (32,874 | ) | | | | (25,965 | ) |
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities | | $ | 417,851 | | | | $ | 283,896 | |
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities | | $ | (583,790 | ) | | | $ | (393,804 | ) |
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities | | $ | 165,740 | | | | $ | 109,901 | |
| Three Months Ended | | Nine Months Ended | |
| September 30, | | September 30, | |
| 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
Contract Drilling Operations Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rigs Utilized | | 78.9 | | | 65.4 | | | 74.0 | | | 58.2 | |
Operating Margins (2) | | 43% | | | 47% | | | 44% | | | 39% | |
Operating Profit Before Depreciation (2) ($MM) | $ | 55.9 | | $ | 39.6 | | $ | 152.0 | | $ | 85.1 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Oil and Natural Gas Operations Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Production: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Oil – MBbls | | 620 | | | 379 | | | 1,767 | | | 1,002 | |
Natural Gas Liquids - MBbls | | 578 | | | 378 | | | 1,623 | | | 1,143 | |
Natural Gas - MMcf | | 11,553 | | | 10,385 | | | 32,730 | | | 30,121 | |
Average Prices: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Oil price per barrel received Oil price per barrel received, excluding hedges | $ $ | 86.19 89.47 | | $ $ | 66.94 72.52 | | $ $ | 86.80 93.75 | | $ $ | 67.05 74.11 | |
NGLs price per barrel received NGLs price per barrel received, excluding hedges | $ $ | 45.40 46.33 | | $ $ | 31.67 31.27 | | $ $ | 43.72 44.65 | | $ $ | 35.91 35.70 | |
Natural Gas price per Mcf received Natural Gas price per Mcf received, excluding hedges | $ $ | 4.39 4.01 | | $ $ | 5.55 3.94 | | $ $ | 4.33 3.94 | | $ $ | 5.71 4.27 | |
Operating Profit Before DD&A (2) ($MM) | $ | 105.3 | | $ | 69.5 | | $ | 282.6 | | $ | 210.8 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Mid-Stream Operations Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Gas Gathering - MMBtu/day | | 228,247 | | | 183,161 | | | 201,788 | | | 182,390 | |
Gas Processing - MMBtu/day | | 129,820 | | | 84,175 | | | 102,493 | | | 81,157 | |
Liquids Sold – Gallons/day | | 449,604 | | | 260,519 | | | 378,585 | | | 264,679 | |
Operating Profit Before Depreciation | | | | | | | | | | | | |
and Amortization (2) ($MM) | $ | 7.4 | | $ | 6.7 | | $ | 25.7 | | $ | 22.5 | |
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(1) The company considers its cash flow from operations before changes in operating assets and liabilities an important measure in meeting the performance goals of the company (see Non-GAAP Financial Measures below).
(2) Operating profit before depreciation is calculated by taking operating revenues by segment less operating expenses excluding depreciation, depletion, amortization general and administrative and interest expense. Operating margins are calculated by dividing operating profit by segment revenue.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We report our financial results in accordance with generally accepted account principles (“GAAP”). We believe certain non-GAAP performance measures provide users of our financial information and our management additional meaningful information to evaluate the performance of our company.
This press release includes cash flow from operations before changes in operating assets and liabilities and our drilling segment’s average daily operating margin before elimination of intercompany drilling rig profit.
Below is a reconciliation of GAAP financial measures to non-GAAP financial measures for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered by themselves or a substitute for our results reported in accordance with GAAP.
Unit Corporation
Reconciliation of Cash Flow From Operations Before Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities
| | Nine Months Ended September 30, | | | | |
| | | 2011 | | | 2010 | | | | |
| | (In thousands) | | | | | |
Net cash provided by operating activities | | $ | 417,851 | | $ | 283,896 | | | | |
Subtract: | | | | | | | | | | |
Net change in operating assets and liabilities | | | 32,874 | | | 25,965 | | | | |
Cash flow from operations before changes | | | | | | | | | | |
in operating assets and liabilities | | $ | 450,725 | | $ | 309,861 | | | | |
________________
We have included the cash flow from operations before changes in operating assets and liabilities because:
· | It is an accepted financial indicator used by our management and companies in our industry to measure the company’s ability to generate cash which is used to internally fund our business activities. |
· | It is used by investors and financial analysts to evaluate the performance of our company. |
Unit Corporation
Reconciliation of Average Daily Operating Margin Before Elimination of Intercompany Rig Profit
| Three Months Ended | | Nine Months Ended |
| June 30, | | September 30, | | September 30, |
| 2011 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| (In thousands) |
Contract drilling revenue | $ | 115,183 | | $ | 128,927 | | $ | 85,004 | | $ | 342,098 | | $ | 217,919 | |
Contract drilling operating cost | | 64,238 | | | 73,004 | | | 45,406 | | | 190,086 | | | 132,847 | |
Operating profit from contract drilling | | 50,945 | | | 55,923 | | | 39,598 | | | 152,012 | | | 85,072 | |
Add: Elimination of intercompany rig profit | | 5,092 | | | 4,820 | | | 2,888 | | | 14,955 | | | 4,717 | |
Operating profit from contract drilling | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
before elimination of intercompany | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
rig profit | | 56,037 | | | 60,743 | | | 42,486 | | | 166,967 | | | 89,789 | |
Contract drilling operating days | | 6,695 | | | 7,220 | | | 6,021 | | | 20,129 | | | 15,894 | |
Average daily operating margin before | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
elimination of intercompany rig profit | $ | 8,370 | | $ | 8,413 | | $ | 7,056 | | $ | 8,295 | | $ | 5,649 | |
________________
We have included the average daily operating margin before elimination of intercompany rig profit because:
· | Our management uses the measurement to evaluate the cash flow performance of our contract drilling segment and to evaluate the performance of contract drilling management. |
· | It is used by investors and financial analysts to evaluate the performance of our company. |