Roger Jenkins
Analyst · Goldman Sachs. Brian, please go ahead
Thank you, David. As previously stated, we produced 159,000 equivalents in the quarter exceeded guidance for 4%, all our operated assets continue to perform very well as we experience lower downtime and offshore assets especially in our recently purchased fields and better online execution across our onshore assets. On Slide 7, Murphy has a long history of supporting shareholders and we continue to do so over the past 10 years, we've returned over 3.8 billion to shareholders and have not issued equity. In the second quarter, we repurchased 300 million or roughly 7% of our outstanding shares which equates to purchasing our proven barrels for only $9.75 per boe. We still have 200 million remaining under our board authorization, which expires at year end 2020 and will continue to be opportunistic when repurchasing shares going forward. With recent success and free cash flow generation returns to shareholders since the price collapse of late 15, we're one of only six peers who actually have free cash flow yield, and have a history of not overspending our cash flows. During this time, we’re the leading company in the peer group when dividends and buybacks are added together, net of issuances of which we have none are considered. We move forward now to Slide 9, in the second quarter, we brought on 35 operated wells, 23 of which are in Karnes, 12 in Tilden. As completion efficiencies led to advancing our 2019 drilling program, the Tilden wells in which we were scheduled to come online in the third quarter were actually brought on line in the second quarter Overall, we expect to bring 91 wells on line for the year and relatively equal division between Karnes, Tilden and Catarina. Our oil production in the Eagle Ford Shale increased by 28% over quarter 1, which is we feel is an outstanding benchmark for us and as we anticipate a near 7000 barrel equivalent add of production increase for quarter three over quarter one, over quarter two rather in this asset. Slide 10. In further detail, our second quarter Eagle Ford Shale wells performance have been strong in both Karnes and Tilden with the recent Tilden wells are the best we've ever drilled in this area. This quarter, we drilled all three zones, often shot the Upper, the Lower Eagle Ford Shale with average well results exceeding type curves, importantly, we achieved average IP 30 rates across all three zones, and Karnes or approximately 1200 equivalents per day with 90% liquids content. The Tilden wells are important because we’ve applied our latest completion techniques for the first time in this area. Our Central Tilden assets specifically align with the robust performance of our Karnes wells, and have achieved significant IP 30 rates averaging 1,370 barrels equivalent per day with 92% liquid content. We're encouraged of our recent well results and excited for the future development of this acreage. Slide 11, and the Kaybob Duvernay asset continue to perform well as we brought online six wells for the quarter across our Kaybob north and two creeks acreage. The initial volumes have proven strong with facility, constrained IP 30 rates, of more than 1000 barrel equivalents per day and Kaybob north and 750 barrels equivalent per day in two creeks. We have also closed the cash cashless acreage swap in Kaybob East, thereby gaining approximately 20,000 contiguous gross acres in exchange for only 5800 non-core acres in another area. Following quarter end, the three wells in the Simonette area resume production after third-party midstream spec constraint prevented them from flowing to sales in the first half of the year. Going forward, our focus for the remainder of the year is on acreage retention with drilling 13 wells are scheduled to come on line in 2020. Slide 12, our Tupper Montney wells continue to deliver steady performance, added five wells in the quarter and highlight the new volumes trend in line with our 18 BCF per well type curves. Our price mitigation strategy continues to be successful, as we realize second quarter pricing of $1.82 per Mcf Canadian, excluding transportation compared to an AECO price of $1.03 Mcf Canadian. This is a tribute to our excellent marketing team, which remains focused on diversifying our price exposure through hedges and off AECO sales. Slide 14, we're pleased with our expanded Gulf Mexico portfolio, and after completing two major transaction, Murphy is now the fifth largest producer in the region. We successfully drilled a development well at Dalmatian that we plan to bring along in the fourth quarter with the growth rate of more than 6000 equivalents per day. The well has very robust returns, as would any nearby infrastructure tie back in the Gulf Mexico. We drilled a successful well at Hoffe Park number two. We countered all in three zones. The well is just completed logging and the evaluation results are ongoing. We discovered resources that can easily be produced through our nearby Murphy operated Delta House facility. We unfortunately found volumes below our mean projection for the well. Slide 15, in the Gulf Mexico the long runway of higher rate of return projects that will provide production and cash flow for several years to come. Our board sanctioned three of these key projects in June. One of the projects is a King's Quay floating production system which will host to production from two recently purchased fields and the LLOG transaction as well as our recently sanctioned Samurai development. King's Quay is being constructed in Korea with first steel cut last month. We have a 50% working interest in the production system and we're currently analyzing our options to sell down a portion of this facility as it is highly sought after in the midstream asset market. The facility will be designed to capture third party volumes as well for additional cash flow and tariffs. We expect to flow Samurai development and the Khaleesi/Mormont fields to the facility with first toll anticipated in the first half of 2022. Slide 16, our board sanctioned two developments at Khaleesi/Mormont Samurai’s well which was successfully drilled by Samurai, which was successfully drilled by Murphy in 2018. Khaleesi/Mormont, our two adjacent fields that we acquired from LLOG. Khaleesi/Mormont is a seven well development project of which four of the wells were previously drilled and cased with a total of six wellbore penetrations previously drilled. We’ve invested approximately 200 million over four years with first oil [ph] in the first half of 2022. The gross resource is 165 million barrels equivalent with 90% liquids and we expect it will produce for the next 20 years, generating a full cycle rate of return of more than 30%. The reserves have been confirmed by two third party audit firms. The third project will start in the second half of 2019 is a multi-well development in Samurai, which further benefits from lower Gulf of Mexico acquisition achieving synergy being located less than 10 miles from the Khaleesi/Mormont in King's Quay facility. The proximity to now Murphy owned and operated facility not only enhances the economics, but increases the recoverable resources net to Murphy. We expect several decades of production in this development as well, and a project full cycle rate of return of over 35%. We're providing a 10 years of disclosure for all three projects to clearly illustrate the timing of spend and the long runway of production and cash flows following the initial investments. Slide 17. We've laid out our upcoming short cycle capital projects through 2021 in the Gulf of Mexico along with their spending requirements and associated production gains to highlight the returns of our new asset base. Overall, we generate nearly 12,000 barrels equivalent per day from this work and additional volumes by 2021 upon completion of the six projects, which includes single wells and work overs and generate an average IRR of more than 80%, that further illustrates a significant runway of long term growth provided by the Gulf Mexico business with excellent returns. Slide 19, as a review of production, we need to keep in mind that these volumes are from continuing operations net to Murphy unless otherwise noted. As we look to the third quarter, we expect production to be 192,000 to 196,000 equivalents per day of which approximately 118,000 barrels will be oil. This is a real engine behind our new cash flow generating ability. Our full year production is forecasted to range between 174,000 to 178,000 barrels equivalent per day. This implies fourth quarter production will be more than 200,000 equivalent per day at a level we've not seen since 2015. This is our new baseline going forward, as we've adjusted our asset base the past few years and particularly, enhancing the Gulf of Mexico and Eagle Ford Shale. The 2019 CapEx guidance of 1.35 billion to 1.45 billion remains within the range regarded at the beginning of the year prior to any of the transactions that we've conducted. This tightened range includes a reduction of $106 million from Malaysia and an increase of $140 million allocated toward the newly acquired Gulf of Mexico assets. Approximately 20% of the new LLOG capital is allocated towards short cycle tie backs that are expected to have first oil in 18 months, 20% toward long term tie back projects, and the remainder allocated to the King's Quay FPS. Slide 20. In closing, we've clearly positioned Murphy for long term value creation. We transform the company with no equity or debt issuances and while buying stock and creating a new company with more oil waiting and premium pricing. Eagle Ford shale is performing, with production continuing to ramp up. We're executing short cycle high rate of return projects in the Gulf, as well as Eagle Ford. And from this, we would generate significant levels of cash flow. As always, we continue to focus on our shareholder friendly activities, executing on our share repurchase program, and paying our longstanding dividend, while maintaining cash flow parity. With that, I’d like to turn the call over to the operator and be glad to take your questions this morning.