Ron Bain
Analyst · ROTH Capital
Thank you, George, and good morning, everyone. Let me begin by saying I’m very pleased to have recently joined the VAALCO management team. Like George, I knew VAALCO well from my days working with him at Eland and see the significant potential we have at VAALCO in both Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. I look forward to get to know our shareholders anonymous over the coming months. Turning to our financials, adjusted EBITDAX totaled $21.9 million in the second quarter of 2021, compared with $18 million in the prior quarter, and more than double the $10.1 million in the same period of 2020. Adjusted EBITDAX for the second quarter of 2021 was higher than both prior periods, primarily due to the increased sales volumes and higher realized prices. Our adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2021 totaled $8.4 million or $0.14 per diluted share, as compared to an adjusted net income of $8.7 million or $0.15 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2021. Higher sales and realize pricing were offset by higher DD&A due to the bargain purchase price accounting associated with the Sasol acquisition and one-time severance costs. In the second quarter of 2020, VAALCO reported $5.3 million in adjusted net income or $0.09 per diluted share. Additionally, we reported strong net income of $5.9 million or $0.10 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2021, which included a $10 million loss in derivative instruments, of which $5.7 million was an unrealized loss. As George mentioned, the second quarter reflect the significant increases in sales and continued strong realize pricing. Turning to production, so production for the second quarter of 8,018 net barrels of oil per day increased 55% from 5,180 net barrels of oil per day in the first quarter of 2021, driven by the Sasol acquisition volumes being included in the company’s results for all three months of Q2, compared to only about one month in Q1. Second quarter 2021 production was up 48% from the second quarter of 2020. Sales volumes in Q2 2021 were up 4% from the first quarter and up 2% compared to the same period in 2020. The increase in volumes is primarily due to the additional Sasol interest. Our crude oil price realization increased 14% to $69.61 per barrel in the second quarter of 2021 versus $61.31 per barrel in the first quarter of 2021 and was up 146% compared to the $28.31 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020. Our hedging strategy for 2021 has been to lock in a majority of our 2021 production volumes to predict cash flows and issue funding of our capital program in 2021 and 2022, but still allow for some additional upside. In January 2021, we entered into crude oil commodity swap arrangement for a total of 709,262 barrels at a Dated Brent weighted average price of $53.10 per barrel for the period from and including February 2021 through January 2022. These swaps settle on a monthly basis. In May, we added more crude oil swaps of 672,533 barrels at Dated Brent weighted average price of $66.51 per barrel for the period from and including May 2021 through October 2021. And last week, we entered into additional commodity swap at Dated Brent weighted average of $67.70 per barrel for the period from and including November 2021 through February 2022 for a quantity of 314,420 barrels. After entering into this latest hedge, VAALCO now has 70% of its production hedge through October 2021 and 50% of its production hedge from November 2021 through February 2022. We took similar actions in 2019 before we began our 2019, 2020 program, I will continue to assess or meet to mitigate price risk and predict cash flow in the future as we consider any additional future derivative contracts. Turning to the expenses. Production expense excluding workovers for the second quarter of 2021 was $16.1 million, which was flat with the first quarter of 2021, despite the higher sales and $3.9 million higher than in the second quarter of 2020, due to higher sales and the increase in working interests associated with the Sasol acquisition. The per unit production expense excluding workover of $25.02 per barrel in the second quarter of 2021, decreased as compared to $26.02 per barrel in the first quarter of 2021 and $19.31 in Q2 2020. The per unit production expense excluding workovers decreased 4% as compared to the first quarter of 2021, due to the increased sales but flat actual cost. The per unit rate in the second quarter of 2021 increased 30% from the rate in the year ago quarter, primarily due to the increase in working interest costs associated with the Sasol acquisition, where sales were nearly flat year-over-year. The second quarter of 2020 included four liftings that increased sales, included in total production expense are COVID-19 related costs incurred to protect the health and safety of the company’s employees, which totaled approximately $800,000 in the second quarter of 2021. Production expense for the third quarter of 2021, excluding workovers is projected to be between $20 million and $22 million or $27 per barrel of oil sales to $30 per barrel of oil sales. Keep in mind that Q3 2021 has an increase in absolute and per barrel costs compared to the second quarter of 2021, due to the seven-day planned maintenance turnaround. As George mentioned, we are now planning on completing two workovers during the third quarter, when we initially planned to do just one in the second half of 2021. We’ve adjusted our guidance for workover costs to $8 million to $10 million net VAALCO from $5 million to $6 million previously. We do get the benefit of doing the two workovers in succession, so I would expect the costs are not double the cost of just completing one. DD&A for the second quarter of 2021 was $5.8 million or $9.5 [ph] per net barrel of oil sales, compared to 4.1 million or $6.70 per barrel in the first quarter of 2021 and $2.8 million or $4.44 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020. DD&A was higher comparable to the prior periods due to the higher depletable costs associated with the Sasol acquisition. Our asset base for the Sasol acquisition was valued at fair market value in a stronger pricing environment than which we negotiated the deal price. General and administrative expense for the second quarter of 2021, excluding stock-based compensation expense was $4.2 million, compared with $3 million in the first quarter of 2021 and $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2020. The increase in Q2 2021, compared to Q1 2021 was the result of additional severance costs associated with changes in key personnel. The per unit G&A rate excluding stock-based compensation in the second quarter of 2021 of $6.57 per barrel of oil sales was higher than both the first quarter 2021 and the second quarter of 2020, due to higher severance costs with relatively small changes in sales. For the third quarter, we are forecasting G&A excluding stock-based compensation to be between $2 million and $3 million, which is more consistent with our expected run rate without these one-time costs. Non-cash stock based compensation expense was impacted by the change in the SARS liability as a result of changes in the company’s stock price during the quarter. For the second quarter of 2021, the stock-based compensation expense related to SARS was an expense of $400,000, compared to an expense of $1.2 million for the first quarter of 2021. For the second quarter of 2020, there was expense of $700,000 related to SARS. Turning now to taxes. Income tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2021, was $2.8 million. This is comprised of a $3.3 million of additional tax benefit and a current tax expense of $6.1 million. The income $2.2 million income tax benefit for the three months ended June 30, 2020, included a $3.4 million deferred tax benefit and a current tax expense of $1.2 million. For both Q2 2021 and 2020 VAALCO’s overall effective tax rate was impacted by non-deductible items associated with operations and deducting foreign taxes rather than crediting them for United States tax purposes. At June 30, 2021, we had an unrestricted cash balance of $22.9 million, which included $2 million in net joint venture owner advances. Working capital at June 30, 2021, was negative $9 million, compared with a negative $15.8 million at March 31, 2021. While adjusted working capital at June 30, 2021, turn positive to $4.3 million, compared to negative $2.7 million at March 31, 2021. For the second quarter of 2021, net capital expenditures excluding acquisitions total $3.1 million on a cash basis and $1.8 million on an accrual basis. These expenditures were primarily related to the purchase of a mobile workover unit, equipment and enhancements, as well as early costs associated with the 2021/2022 drilling program. As has been the case since the second quarter of 2018, we are carrying no debt. And with that, I’ll now turn the call back over to George.