James D. Palm
Analyst · SunTrust
Thanks, Paul, and good afternoon to each of you. I'm pleased to report that Gulfport reported strong second quarter 2012 results, generating approximately $49.8 million of operating cash flow, $49.4 million of EBITDA and $25.1 million of net income on production totaling 663,000 barrels of oil equivalent. Solid production and free cash flow generation, both hallmarks of our core Southern Louisiana assets, characterize the second quarter, allowing us to further advance the number of high impact projects that are expected to provide both significant near-term catalysts, as well as long-term opportunities. While Southern Louisiana continues its role as our cash flow cornerstone, our future is being shaped today as we reach milestones daily in our development of the Utica Shale, the Horizontal Permian and the Canadian Oil Sands. As many of you are aware, Gulfport made a strategic decision during 2011 to devote significant capital and operational attention toward establishing the Utica Shale as a principal focus area for the company. Throughout 2011, we focused on putting together our acreage position, targeting the core of the play based upon certain high graded geological and petro physical characteristics. By the end of 2011, we amassed a position totaling 125,000 gross or 62,500 net acres, making Gulfport one of the top 3 public companies most leveraged of the Utica Shale on a per share basis and possibly the most leveraged of the core of the play overall. In 2012, we shifted from acquisition to drilling mode. We've drilled 5 wells and currently have 2 wells drilling, 1 well frac-ing, 3 wells under resting period and our first well was recently brought on production. Given the sample data we've collected thus far, we are now in a position to provide production results on our Wagner 1-28H well, as well some initial data points from our ongoing test and resting program on 3 other wells. Our Wagner 1-28H well, which was drilled to a total vertical depth of 8,673 feet and with a 8,143-foot horizontal lateral, was completed with a 28-stage hybrid hydraulic frac treatment. The well was brought online in early August and tested a peak gross rate of 17.1 million cubic feet per day of gas and 432 barrels per day of condensate. Based upon composition analysis, the gas being produced is 1,214 BTU rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery, this composition would produce 110 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas, resulting in a gas shrink of 18% and a total rate of 4,650 barrels of oil equivalent per day. In ethane rejection mode, this composition would produce 41 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas, resulting in a gas shrink of 8% and a total rate of 3,755 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Meanwhile, frac load water recovered was minimal, averaging about 1.5 barrels of load water per barrel of condensate in the tank. The striking thing about this test was the strength of the Wagner well. We started with 5,100 pounds shut-in tubing pressure and 5,200 pounds shut-in casing pressure. At the end of the first hour, we were producing at the rate of 12.2 million cubic feet with 4,200 pounds flowing tubing pressure and 5,100 pounds flowing casing pressure. 8 hours later, we have set the well up to a rate of 17.1 million with 3,100 pounds flowing tubing pressure, and we still had 5,000 PSI flowing casing pressure. The strength of the well was demonstrated by the fact that the flowing casing pressure only drew down from 5,200 to 5,000 PSI, even when we were producing over 17 million cubic feet per day. We're currently selling gas and we will be flowing this well at a rate of about 10 million cubic feet per day through safety units until mid-September, at which time we plan to redirect production in the MarkWest to this processing plant. In addition to the production results from the Wagner 1-28, we have collected some preliminary information from the other wells that we finished frac-ing. We've modified our completions to allow us to both test and rest our well. Before we frac the final stage of the lateral, we set a permanent plug which isolates that final stage so we can test our last frac stage while we let the rest of the frac stages rest. We call this our test and rest procedure. Using this approach, we can look at the initial productivity, the gas composition and other information from the last frac stage soon after we finish frac-ing the well. Then we come back periodically for additional tests, which will help us determine how long the resting period is appropriate for our wells. While the results of these tests are very preliminary, we're prepared to share some of the information we've collected with you today. First is our Boy Scout 1-33H well, which was drilled to a total vertical depth of 7,704 feet with a 7,974-foot horizontal lateral and was completed with a 22-stage hybrid hydraulic frac treatment. Immediately following completion, we proceeded to test the final isolated frac stage, and while the test lasted only a total of 7 hours, preliminary indications were very positive. Of note is that the single stage kicked up, cleaned up on its own. We started out with around 136 barrels of water per hour, and 7 hours later, at the end of the test, we were only making 41 barrels of water per hour. We saw first natural gas minutes into the test and measured a maximum rate of 470,000 cubic feet of gas per day. After about 5.5 hours, the pullback through reported the wells started making condensate, and about 1.5 hours later when we concluded the test, the well had made 40 barrels of condensate. We also counted gas samples as part of this process, and composition analysis showed it to be 1,310 BTU rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery, this composition would produce 142 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas and results in a gas shrink of 25%. In ethane rejection mode, this composition would produce 84 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet and result in a gas shrink of 17%. I would note that in such an early stage of the well's pullback, it's very rare and we found it very encouraging to see such high condensate volumes and low water recoveries. And remember, this is from only 1 of the 22 frac stages in the well. We currently anticipate bringing this well online flowing into gas sales line by mid to late September. Next is our Groh 1-12H well that was drilled to a total vertical depth of 7,289 feet with 5,414 foot horizontal lateral and was completed with a 15-stage hybrid hydraulic frac treatment. Following completion, we elected to test the final isolated frac stage. Again, the stage kicked off on its own and water production was minimal and gas and oil came quickly. From this one stage, we measured a peak rate of 384,000 cubic feet of gas per day and 192 barrels per day of condensate. Based upon composition analysis, the gas produced was 1,289 BTU rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery, this composition would produce 145 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas and results in a gas shrink of 24%. And in ethane rejection mode, this composition would produce 67 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas and results in a gas shrink of 11%. With the data we collected, we hope to establish a scientific basis for the link in which we decide to rest our future wells. We currently plan to have this well producing and flowing into the gas sales line by the end of September. And finally, onto our Shugert 1-1H well, which was drilled to a total vertical depth of 8,661 feet with 5,758-foot horizontal lateral and was completed with a 16-stage hybrid hydraulic frac treatment. Following completion, we set a permanent plug and pulled back the last stage. From this one stage, we measured a peak rate of 2.9 million cubic feet of gas per day. Based upon composition analysis, the gas being produced is 1,204 BTU rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery, this composition would produce 100 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas and results in a gas shrink of 17%. And in ethane rejection mode, this composition would produce 40 barrels of NGLs per million cubic feet of gas and results in a gas shrink of 9%. We currently expect to have this well producing and flowing into the sales line by the end of September. While we're very pleased and encouraged by these initial results, I'd like to caution you that these are very preliminary numbers. Ordinarily, we would not provide these types of limits to data points, but we know everyone is hungry for data on the play and given the significance to the play of Gulfport, we felt it's important that the market know exactly what we know. And now turning towards the midstream side of the play, we're very pleased with our partnership with MarkWest. They have an aggressive construction program for both pipelines and processing, allowing us to begin flowing our wells and receiving revenues much faster than our counterparts. We're devoting significant attention towards refining our drilling and completion practices and are actively securing our takeaways so as to maximize our returns from this blossoming play. Due to a number of strategic arrangements, Gulfport has positioned itself to control the quality, timing and availability of its service and takeaway needs of the play. The Utica Shale is a huge part of Gulfport's future, and we are preparing to execute accordingly. Now turning towards West Texas. During the second quarter of 2012, a total of 7 Diamondback operated wells were drilled on our acreage in the Permian, and at present, we are drilling ahead on the 15th well of 2012. In June, Diamondback brought online the Janey 1-16H, the first horizontal well in the play. The Janey well was drilled to a total vertical depth of 8,850 feet with a 3,840-foot horizontal completed lateral and was completed with a 16-stage slip water hydraulic frac treatment. The well tested at a peak rate of 618 BOE per day and went on to produce a sustained rate of 486 BOE per day over the first 30 days it was on production. Diamondback is currently putting together its next horizontal lateral on this lease, the Neal 8H, which is planned to have a 7,000-foot lateral. This well is expected to spud in the late fourth quarter, and the target will be the same Wolfcamp B zone produced in the Janey 16-H well. In addition, we continue to be encouraged by the horizontal drilling activity of our peers in the play and are actively benefiting from their success as we participate in wells with them and share data to better understand the optimal development strategy. Based upon the early indications of success by other operators nearby, Diamondback is also looking at horizontal potential within a number of different zones. We are moving up the learning curve quickly, and at this point, all of our acreage appears to have horizontal potential. Some generalizations so far are: first, the drilling and completing of the Janey 16-H in the Wolfcamp B interval in the Upton County confirms the viability of horizontal development across our blossoming acreage block of 8,200 gross acres. On a 16O-acre spacing, that translates to over 50 additional gross future locations. In addition, if the Wolfcamp A interval proves out, that well count easily doubles. Although there's still less than 60 days of productive data from the Janey 16-H well, I expect virtually all future development in this area will be horizontal. This well pad also had 5 vertical wells in close proximity, and we've not seen any interference in those wells supporting the theory that you can have both vertical and horizontal wells in the same section. Something I believe our colleagues at Pioneer have also alluded to. Secondly, formations under the -- in the Wolfcamp are being tested. We are participating with a small interest in a horizontal Clearfork well in [indiscernible] County. This well was successfully drilled and completed in a 4,000-foot lateral, with pullback operations currently underway. This is only the second horizontal well ever drilled in the Clearfork in the Midland Basin and could stand to unlock other ventures of play for horizontal development. And finally, we are participating again with a small interest in the first horizontal cline well in Midland County. This well was successfully drilled with approximately 4,000-foot lateral length and is scheduled to begin frac-ing in mid-August. In summary, Gulfport is either directly or indirectly involved in 3 of the first modern horizontal wells in a multicounty area in the Midland Basin, and within the next 90 days, we expect to have meaningful production tests from 3 different horizons. When you look at this level of participation in untested intervals across multiple counties, I firmly believe Gulfport and our partner, Diamondback, are leading the way to access the economic viability of horizontal development. Diamondback is aggressively moving towards horizontal drilling as a major component of its drilling program as rapidly as activity from Diamondback and others in the industry can de-risk both areas and the zones that which the horizontal well will be drilled. Shifting down towards Canada. Grizzly continues to be on schedule and on budget in building its first SAGD facility in Algar Lake. Grizzly has finished drilling all 10 SAGD well pairs and is currently in the process of completing and plumbing up those wells for SAGD injecting and production. Meanwhile, having largely completed sites civil work, simple processing facility modules are now being shipped from the fabrication yard near Edmonton to the Algar Lake location. As you can see in some of the pictures we've included in our updated presentation, these modules are already being set on piles and joined together. We anticipate this process to continue on into the fourth quarter with commissioning scheduled to begin in late fourth quarter. Meanwhile, from an exploration standpoint, Grizzly continues to work through the goal of filing an application for a commercial project at Thickwood Hills by the end of this year. In addition, Grizzly has laid out the framework for its plan to have 70,000 barrels per day producing from its recently acquired May River property. This production is expected to initially come online at 13,600 barrels per day in the 2016, '17 timeframe and is expected to drill by 20,400 barrels per day increments in 2018, '19 and '20. Grizzly is currently finalizing plans for our winter drilling program to support this strategy. And now on to Southern Louisiana. At Hackberry, during the second quarter, we drilled a total of 7 wells, completing 2 wells as productive, with 2 wells waiting on completion and 2 wells drilling at the end of the quarter. In addition, we performed 4 rig completions. We are currently running 2 rigs at Hackberry, growing ahead on our 14th or 15th wells of 2012. Meanwhile, at West Cote Blanche Bay, during the second quarter, we drilled a total of 9 wells, completing 4 as producers, with 2 waiting on completion. And we had 2 wells drilling at the end of the quarter. In addition, we performed 13 recompletions. And at present, the barge rig is active at West Cote and is drilling ahead on the 18th well for 2012 program at the field. Moving along to Colorado. In the Niobrara, we recently finished drilling our first well based upon the results from our recent 3D seismic survey. The well is waiting on completion, and our second well should spud near the end of this month. We are currently in the process of permitting a number of other locations along clearly defined faults which we identified from our 3D seismic survey. So to wrap things up today, I want to make a quick observation about our position in the Utica. By now, everyone has heard about Chesapeake's Buell well, which is located on the northern end of our position. No doubt, it's a very impressive well. Meanwhile, we're hearing about some very strong rates being generated by Antero from its first 2 wells in Monroe and Noble Counties towards the southern end of our position. The Hess well in Jefferson County to the east of our position, while dry gas is highly economic at 11 million cubic feet of gas per day, and with our recent results from our Groh and Boy Scout wells, things on the western edge of our acreage are looking very strong. Meanwhile, I can say without a doubt that our Wagner well is by far the strongest well that Gulfport has ever drilled. So from north to south and east to west, we're starting to feel like we're already finding the sweet spot, and we continue to see that our acreage seems to be located right in the middle of it. We believe there is a high volume of recoverable reserves packed into each acre in this very repeatable play. And if you run the numbers, you'll see that Gulfport stands -- that the Utica stands to be a real company changer for Gulfport. And thank you for your time and interest today, and now I'd like to turn the call over to Mike to cover our financial highlights.