Carrizo Gets Going in Guernsey County

HOUSTON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/07/2013 -- Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. (NASDAQCRZO) today announced the Company's record financial results for the second quarter of 2013, which included the following highlights:

  • Record Oil Production of 11,747 Bbls/d, a 26% increase over the first quarter of 2013 and a 54% increase over the second quarter of 2012 
     
  • Record Total Production of 28,187 Boe/d, a 6% increase over the first quarter of 2013 and a 7% increase over the second quarter of 2012 
     
  • Record Oil Revenue of $105.8 million, amounting to 79% of total revenue, and a 21% increase over the first quarter of 2013
     
  • Net Income from continuing operations of $35.8 million, or $0.88 per diluted share, and Record Adjusted Net Income (as defined below) of $24.7 million, or $0.61 per diluted share
     
  • Record EBITDA (as defined below) of $102.7 million, a 10% increase over the first quarter of 2013 and a 48% increase over the second quarter of 2012 
     
  • Increasing 2013 crude oil production growth target to 45% from 40%
     
Carrizo reported second quarter of 2013 net income from continuing operations of $35.8 million, or $0.89 and $0.88 per basic and diluted share, respectively, as compared to $25.7 million, or $0.65 and $0.64 per basic and diluted share, respectively, in the second quarter of 2012. Net income from continuing operations for the second quarter of 2013 includes certain non-cash items typically excluded from published estimates by the investment community. Excluding the impact of these non-cash items, the Company reported second quarter of 2013 adjusted net income of $24.7 million, or $0.62 and $0.61 per basic and diluted share, respectively, compared to $10.2 million, or $0.26 and $0.25 per basic and diluted share, respectively, in the second quarter of 2012.
For the second quarter of 2013, earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, and depletion and amortization, as described in the consolidated statements of income included below ("EBITDA"), was $102.7 million, an increase of 48% from the prior year quarter.
Production volumes during the second quarter of 2013 were 2,565 MBoe, or 28,187 Boe/d, an increase of 7% from the second quarter of 2012. Oil production during the quarter averaged 11,747 Bbls/d, while natural gas and NGL production averaged 98,659 Mcfe/d. Second quarter of 2013 production exceeded the high end of Company guidance due to strong performance across each of the Company's primary areas of activity plus higher than forecast non-operated production during the quarter.
Drilling and completion capital expenditures for the second quarter of 2013 were $133.2 million, below the Company's expectations due largely to the deferral of some completion activity in the Marcellus Shale. Approximately 66% of the second quarter drilling and completion spending was in the Eagle Ford Shale. Land and seismic expenditures during the quarter were $30.2 million. Carrizo is maintaining its full-year 2013 drilling and completion capital expenditure plan at $530-$540 million. The Company is increasing its 2013 land and seismic capital expenditure plan from $124 million to $140 million due to more opportunities than expected to add acreage in the Eagle Ford Shale. Acreage acquisitions in the second half of the year are currently expected to focus on the Eagle Ford Shale and Utica Shale.
Due to continued strong performance from the Company's Eagle Ford Shale and Niobrara Formation assets, Carrizo is increasing its 2013 oil production guidance to a range of 11,100-11,500 Bbls/d from 10,600-11,200 Bbls/d. Using the midpoints of these ranges, the Company's 2013 oil production growth guidance increases to 45% from 40%. For natural gas and NGLs, Carrizo is maintaining its 2013 guidance of 101-108 MMcfe/d. For the third quarter 2013, Carrizo expects oil production to be 11,800-12,200 Bbls/d and natural gas and NGL production to be 95-105 MMcfe/d. A summary of Carrizo's production and cost guidance is provided in the attached tables.
S.P. "Chip" Johnson, IV, Carrizo's President and CEO, commented on the quarter's results, "This was an outstanding quarter for Carrizo as we delivered production growth that significantly exceeded our forecast despite lower than planned capital expenditures.
"Our continued strategy of shifting the focus to oil production, rather than production of gas and NGLs, while delivering with asset sales, is paying off. During the quarter, we achieved a record EBITDA, and pushed our debt-to-EBITDA ratio to under 2.5x.
"In the near term, we are very excited about our downspacing tests in the Eagle Ford Shale and Niobrara Formation, and our first operated Utica Shale well. Positive results from these tests has the potential to significantly expand our drilling inventory."
Operations Review
In the Eagle Ford Shale, Carrizo drilled 15 gross (10.9 net) operated wells during the second quarter, and completed 12 gross (9.8 net) wells. Crude oil production from the play rose to more than 9,900 Bbls/d for the quarter, an increase of 19% versus the prior quarter. At the end of the second quarter, Carrizo had 24 gross (17.5 net) Eagle Ford Shale wells waiting on completion, equating to net crude oil production potential of approximately 6,600 Bbls/d. Carrizo is operating three rigs in the Eagle Ford Shale and currently expects to drill approximately 53 gross (43 net) operated wells in the play during 2013.
During the second quarter, Carrizo drilled its first two 500 ft. downspacing tests in the Eagle Ford Shale, the Irvin A 150H and Irvin B 151H. Carrizo holds a 75% working interest in these wells. The wells were drilled to a true vertical depth of approximately 8,400 ft. with an average lateral length of 5,355 ft. and are currently being completed. Carrizo estimates that downspacing to 500 ft. between laterals from its current development plan of 750 ft. would, if successful, add approximately 135 net locations to its current drilling inventory of 417 potential locations in the play.
Carrizo's first test of the Pearsall Shale, the Crawford Ranch B 12H, was recently completed, with encouraging initial results. The well was drilled to a true vertical depth of 11,449 ft. with a lateral length of 1,670 ft. and completed with 14 frac stages. The peak 24-hour rate from the well was 105 Bbls/d of oil and 1,685 Mcf/d of natural gas flowing at 5,200 psi on a 12/64 inch choke. Connection to a gas line is currently in progress. Carrizo has an 80% working interest in the well. Carrizo plans to monitor the performance of the well before deciding whether to drill additional Pearsall tests.
Carrizo added approximately 1,500 net bolt-on acres to its position in the Eagle Ford Shale during the quarter. The new acreage is located in La Salle County and was acquired at a cost of roughly $3,000 per acre. This brings the Company's position in the play to approximately 54,500 net acres. Carrizo continues to actively lease acreage in the core volatile oil window of the Eagle Ford Shale.
In the Niobrara Formation, Carrizo drilled 13 gross (4.3 net) operated wells during the second quarter, and completed 10 gross (3.3 net) wells. Crude oil production from the Niobrara more than doubled in the second quarter, to more than 1,600 Bbls/d from approximately 800 Bbls/d in the first quarter. Carrizo is operating two rigs in the Niobrara and currently expects to drill 44 gross (17 net) operated wells during the year.
Recent highlights from the Niobrara include a pair of wells that were brought online in July. The Bringelson 3-20-11-9-58 reached a peak 24-hour gross production rate of 1,018 Bbls/d of oil and 576 Mcf/d of gas (1,114 Boe/d). The well was drilled with a 4,127 ft. lateral and completed with 15 frac stages. The Bringelson 2-20-11-9-58 reached a peak 24-hour gross production rate of 840 Bbls/d of oil and 254 Mcf/d of gas (882 Boe/d). The well was drilled with a 4,192 ft. lateral and completed with 14 frac stages. Carrizo is the operator of, and holds a 33% working interest in, the Bringelson wells.
Carrizo has been developing its Niobrara acreage on 80-acre spacing. During the third quarter, the Company is drilling its initial 60-acre downspacing tests in the play. Current plans call for the wells to be located in the Company's Bob White and Hemberger areas. Carrizo is the operator of, and currently holds a 60% working interest in, the Bob White area wells and a 30% working interest in the Hemberger area wells.
In the Marcellus Shale, Carrizo drilled 9 gross (2.7 net) wells during the second quarter, and completed 12 gross (3.3 net) wells. Natural gas production from the Marcellus was 33.9 MMcf/d in the second quarter, down from 38.0 MMcf/d in the first quarter as the Company shut-in a number of its wells in Wyoming County during the quarter due to completions of offset wells. Additionally, with the weak local gas prices in Appalachia, Carrizo is often electing to limit its production until regional prices improve. The Company estimates its net production capacity from wells currently drilled and completed in the Marcellus Shale to be more than 60 MMcf/d. Carrizo expects to keep one horizontal rig active in the Marcellus Shale for the remainder of the year, which should allow it to drill a total of 32 gross (10 net) wells during 2013.
Prior to year end, Carrizo plans to spud two Upper Marcellus Shale infill tests at its Plushanski pad in Wyoming County, PA, with completion of the wells expected in early 2014. Carrizo is the operator of, and expects to hold an average working interest of, approximately 21% in these wells.
In the Utica Shale, Carrizo recently spudded its first operated well, the Rector 1H in Guernsey County, OH. Plans currently call for the well to have an 8,000 ft. lateral and to be completed with 28 stages. Once completed, Carrizo plans to rest the well for approximately 60 days before commencing flowback operations. Carrizo has a 47.5% working interest in the Rector 1H well.
Barnett Shale Data Room Update
Carrizo has retained Evercore Partners as its adviser for the sale of its Barnett Shale assets. The data room is currently open and bids are due shortly. Proceeds from the sale are expected to be used in part to fund the Company's 2013 capital expenditure program.


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