Charlestown Energy Partners to invest in Challenger Energy
LONDON, UK: Challenger Energy (AIM: CEG), the Atlantic margin focused energy company, has entered into a legally binding term sheet for an investment by Charlestown Energy Partners LLC.
Charlestown will invest £1.5m in the Company, initially in the form of a loan, which upon closing of the AREA OFF-1 farm-out to Chevron and subject to prior completion of an agreed share consolidation shall convert at a fixed price of 0.168 pence per share, being a c. 20% premium to the current share price. This will result in Charlestown holding a c. 8.7% shareholding in Challenger Energy, thus making Charlestown one of the Company’s largest shareholders.
Charlestown is a New York-based specialist energy investor with a successful track record of making early cornerstone investments in listed exploration companies, most recently as the lead investor in a listed Namibian-focused conjugate margin player.
Charlestown Managing Member Mr. Robert Bose to join the Board of the Company.
Charlestown’s investment ensures the Company’s ability to commence technical work on AREA OFF-3 at the earliest opportunity by underpinning the licence requirement to place cash on restricted deposit, ahead of the anticipated completion of the AREA OFF-1 farm-out to Chevron at which time the Company will receive $12.5 million in cash proceeds. Thereafter, Challenger Energy is expected to be fully funded for the foreseeable future, with no need for additional capital, whether equity or debt.
Eytan Uliel, Chief Executive Officer of Challenger Energy, said: “The strong progress of our business in Uruguay has seen a noted increase in interest from investors familiar with the E&P space who appreciate the value potential of our assets.
We are pleased to advise of today’s agreement with Charlestown, a specialist energy investor with an enviable track record of successful cornerstone investments in various listed and unlisted E&P companies, including being an early investor in the success story that the Namibian conjugate margin now represents. Charlestown’s investment in Challenger Energy will initially be as a loan, but once the Chevron AREA OFF-1 farm-in closes and we have completed a necessary share consolidation that loan will convert at a premium into an approximately 8.7% shareholding, and Charlestown will become a major shareholder in our Company.
Charlestown’s investment, coupled with our low overhead and the attractive carry arrangements in the Chevron farm-out, puts us in an excellent financial position, with no need for further capital for the foreseeable future. As part of their strategic investment, Charlestown’s Managing Member Mr. Robert Bose will be joining our board, and together we will be working to ensure that Challenger Energy provides Charlestown, alongside all shareholders, with the same outstanding return that their investment in the Namibian conjugate margin has”.
Robert Bose, Charlestown Managing Member, said:
“I am very pleased to be joining the Challenger Energy board. Charlestown Energy Partners has been an active investor in global exploration opportunities, including in Namibia where we have developed significant insights into the conjugate margin’s opportunity through our exposure to multiple blocks in the Orange and Walvis offshore basins, including PEL83 which is home to the recent multi-billion-barrel light oil discoveries by Galp Energia. We believe over time these results should translate across to the Uruguay conjugate margin. Challenger Energy’s unique position in Uruguay, capital strength and upcoming catalysts position the Company for significant growth and value creation over the coming years. We are extremely excited to be part of the Challenger Energy story.”
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