Boston, MA 10/07/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Natural Resource Partners LP (NYSE:NRP) announced the acquisition of non-operating oil and gas assets at Williston Basin. The basin located at Sanish Field, Mountrail, North Dakota and wholly operated by Whiting Petroleum Corporation.
Deal
Natural Resource Partners LP (NYSE:NRP) signed an acquisition agreement of $340 million with the basin’s affiliate Kaiser-Francis Oil Company, which is subject to certain price adjustments. The transaction initiated on October 1, 2014 and expected to close by November 2014.
The acquired assets includes 186 oil producing wells and ten wells at different development stages and expect to produce an average capacity of ~3,100 Boe/d.
Natural Resource Partners LP (NYSE:NRP) expects that the acquisition of assets will generate EBITDA of $58 – $60 million in 2015 that will increase the company’s future cash flow.
NRP financed the transaction with additional borrowings from the Wells Fargo Bank and proceeds from debt and equity offerings. The bank expanded the company’s borrowing base (oil and gas credit facility) to $150 million.
NRP selected Evercore Group L.L.C. as a financial advisor for the transaction and at the same time, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. became the financial advisor to Kaiser-Francis Oil Company.
Outlook
NRP’s President, Wyatt Hogan said that the acquisition of new assets along with the existing oil and gas properties in the Williston Basin will widen the exposure of premier oil plays in the U.S. He also said that the acquisition will drive the EBITDA by ~25% in 2015.
So, the company believes that the effort will diversify the operation across oil and gas, non-coal assets, soda ash business and VantaCore operations. The combination will increase the contribution level to ~50% of EBITDA in 2015.
NRP updated the guidance for 2014 with the current transaction and the recent acquisition of VantaCore Partners. Natural Resource Partners LP (NYSE:NRP) expects to generate total revenues of $370 – $390 million and distributable cash flow of $205 – $230 million in 2014.
