RNS Number : 5944C
Westmount Energy Limited
28 March 2025
 

28 March 2025

 

WESTMOUNT ENERGY LIMITED

("Westmount" or the "Company")

 

Interim Results

 

Westmount Energy Limited (UK AIM: WTE.L), the AIM-quoted oil and gas investment company focussed on the Guyana-Suriname Basin is pleased to announce its unaudited Interim Results for the six months ended 31 December 2024.

Copies of the Company's results are available on the Company's website, www.westmountenergy.com.

 

CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW

 

2024 Highlights

 

·      Canje Block, Guyana - in December 2024 the Canje JV partners secured a 1-year extension to the licence to 4th March, 2026.

·      Kaieteur Block, Guyana - Ratio Petroleum farm-down process continues with a primary objective of bringing a new deepwater operator to the block before February 2026

·      Ratio Energy Partnership Ltd. proposal to acquire Ratio Petroleum at 0.35NIS per share unit rejected by shareholders - with merger discussions between the two parties subsequently announced in January 2025

·      Orinduik Block, Guyana - Eco Atlantic in ongoing farm-down discussions with interested parties with a view to drilling commitment well to Cretaceous in 2025

·      Africa Oil Corp, Orange Basin - FID with respect to its first development on the Venus Field (150k BOPD, 45oAPI oil) expected in early 2026

·      Africa Oil Corp, Orange Basin - carried exposure to ongoing exploration drilling of giant prospects - Marula-1x already spudded (Q1 2025), Olympe-1x (Q4 2025) and Nayla-1x (2026)

·      JHI, North Falklands Basin - reawakening of interest in Production Licence PL001 is anticipated post the expected mid-2025 FID of neighbouring Sea Lion development

 

 

Investment portfolio summary

 

As of the 31st December 2024 Westmount had a cash balance of £0.099M, listed marketable securities of £0.488M, and is debt free.

 

As of the 31st December 2024 Westmount held a total of 5,651,270 shares in JHI Associates Inc ("JHI"). Upon completion of the Argos-JHI transaction, as announced on the 25th September 2023, and subsequent to the voluntary liquidation of Argos and the distribution of JHI Consideration Shares to Argos shareholders it is estimated that Westmount will hold circa 5,684,870 shares in JHI, representing approximately 6.24% of the enlarged issued share capital of JHI.

 

As of 31st December 2024, Westmount holds 474,816 common shares in Cataleya Energy Corporation ("CEC") representing approximately 4.13% of the issued shares in CEC, as of 15th March 2024.

 

Westmount continues to hold 1,500,000 shares in Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. ("EOG"), representing approximately 0.47% of the common shares in issue as of 13th January 2025.

 

Westmount continues to hold 89,653 shares in Ratio Petroleum representing approximately 0.04% of the issued share capital.

 

As of 31st December 2024, Westmount holds 300,000 shares in Africa Oil Corp ("AOC") representing approximately 0.069% of the issued common shares in AOC as of 31st January 2025. On the 27th September 2024 AOC paid a cash dividend of USD$0.025 per common share. On 7th March 2024, following completion of the 'Reorganization' transaction first announced on the 24th June 2024, AOC declared a quarterly cash dividend of USD$0.037 per common share, payable on the 11th April 2025 to shareholders of record on the 27th March 2025.

 

The complete investment portfolio is summarised in Table 1. The reported financial loss for the period is primarily made up of a non-cash loss on financial assets held at fair value through the profit and loss, some of which is as a result of Foreign Exchange movements on the portfolio Investments when valued at the period end, and administration costs.

 

 

 

 

Summary/Outlook


Westmount's continues to juggle its liquid resources while seeking value creation for shareholders via exposure to high impact exploration and appraisal drilling programs primarily in the two global 'exploration-hotspots' - deepwater Guyana-Suriname Basin and Orange Basin, Namibia-South Africa.

Exploration drilling in the Guyana-Suriname Basin (outside of the Stabroek Block and Block 58) has started to pick-up again - with clear visibility in the Suriname sector to drilling wells during 2025 - at Araku Deep-1 (Shell, Block 65), Macaw-1 (TotalEnergies, Block 64), Korikori-1 (Chevron, Block 5) in addition to two exploration wells planned by Petronas for Block 52. Notwithstanding the more benign fiscal terms available offshore Guyana uncertainty with respect to the timing of Guyanese drilling remains. Against a backdrop of a dominant player, sector consolidation and the overhang created by the protracted arbitration surrounding the Chevron-Hess takeover, separate farm-down processes are ongoing with respect to the Kaieteur, Canje and Orinduik blocks. With a 1-year licence extension, in the case of the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks, secured - successful completion of farm-down discussions or procurement of other sources of funding, and alignment of incumbent or incoming operators are the next steps. We believe that all three blocks remain underexplored and substantially derisked by existing discoveries - Tanager-1 (Kaieteur), Jethro-1 and Joe-1 (Orinduik) and pending developments on the Stabroek Block, such as Hammerhead and Longtail, which are proximal to the Orinduik and Canje blocks.  

In recent months, exploration drilling activity has continued apace in the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia - with three wells already completed in early 2025 (Tamboti-1x, Sagittarius-1x and Mopane-3x) - all reporting hydrocarbons and ongoing evaluation. Westmount's investee, AOC, has announced that 'carried' exploration drilling is continuing on Namibian Blocks 2913B and 2912 throughout 2025 - with Maruala-1x spudded in early February and Olympe-1x, scheduled for later in the year, to be followed by the drilling of the Nyala prospect in South African Block 3B/4B in 2026. Westmount's shareholding in AOC offers continuing exposure to high impact drilling in the Orange Basin but, as a significant liquid asset, it may also be managed to support working capital requirements going forwards.

While deepwater exploration continues to be a challenging environment for junior players we remain confident that exploration drilling success in these 'hotspot' areas will be rewarded by an increased share price. In the meantime, we continue to manage by optimising cash and liquid resources and by trimming costs where possible.  In this changing landscape, we also remain open to consolidation manoeuvres which offer shareholder value.

 

GERARD WALSH

Chairman

27 March 2025


 

 

 

For further information, please contact:

Westmount Energy Limited                          www.westmountenergy.com

David King, Director                                          Tel: +44 (0) 1534 823000

                                   

 

Cavendish (Nomad and Broker)                         Tel: +44 (0) 131 220 6939

Neil McDonald / Pete Lynch



CONDENSED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

 


Six months ended

31 December 2024

(unaudited)

£


Six months ended

31 December

2023

(unaudited)

£


 

Year ended

30 June 2024

(audited)

£

Net fair value losses on financial assets held at fair value through profit or loss

(95,066)


(531,596)


(491,941)

Investment income

5,889


11,762


11,969

Finance income

762


1,928


         3,320

Administration expenses

(138,622)


(139,930)


(265,915)

Foreign exchange losses

(3,229)


(3,686)


(3,167)







Operating loss

(230,266)


(661,522)


(745,734)

 






Loss before tax

(230,266)


(661,522)


(745,734)







Tax

-


-


-

 






Comprehensive loss for the period / year

(230,266)


(661,522)


(745,734)













Basic loss per share (pence)

(0.16)


(0.46)


(0.52)

Diluted loss per share (pence)

(0.16)


(0.46)


(0.52)








 

 

All results are derived from continuing operations.

The Company had no items of other comprehensive income during the period / year.

                       

 



 

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024

 


31 December 2024

(unaudited)

£


31 December 2023

(unaudited)

£


30 June 2024

(audited)

£







ASSETS






Non-current assets






Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

4,179,220


4,247,606


4,274,285

 

4,179,220


4,247,606


4,274,285

 






Current assets






Other receivables

32,550


29,397


56,401

Cash and cash equivalents

98,886


345,913


222,304


131,436


375,310


278,705







Total assets

4,310,656


4,622,916


4,552,990













LIABILITIES AND EQUITY






Current liabilities






Trade and other payables

38,716


36,498


50,784

 

38,716


36,498


50,784

 






Total liabilities

38,716


36,498


50,784







EQUITY






Share capital

16,652,482


16,652,482


16,652,482

Share option account

469,670


469,670


469,670

Retained earnings

(12,850,212)


(12,535,734)


 (12,619,946)

Total equity

4,271,940


4,586,418


4,502,206

 






Total liabilities and equity

4,310,656


4,622,916


4,552,990

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

 

 

 

Share capital account

£

Share option account

£

Retained earnings

£

Total equity

£

As at 1 July 2023

 

16,652,482

469,670

(11,874,212)

5,247,940

 

Comprehensive Income

Loss for the year ended 30 June 2024

-

-

(745,734)

(745,734)

 

 





As at 30 June 2024

 

16,652,482

469,670

(12,619,946)

4,502,206

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive Income

 

 

 

 

 

Loss for the period ended 31 December 2024

-

-

(230,266)

(230,266)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As at 31 December 2024

 

16,652,482

469,670

(12,850,212)

4,271,940

 

 

 

Share capital account

£

Share option account

£

Retained earnings

£

Total equity

£

As at 1 July 2022

 

16,652,482

469,670

(8,899,942)

8,222,210

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive Income

 

 

 

 

Loss for the year ended 30 June 2023

-

-

(2,974,270)

(2,974,270)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As at 30 June 2023

 

16,652,482

469,670

(11,874,212)

5,247,940

 



 

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

 


Six months ended

31 December 2024

(unaudited)

£


Six months ended

31 December 2023

(unaudited)

£


Year ended

30 June 2024

(audited)

£

Cash flows from operating activities






Total comprehensive loss for the period / year

(230,266)


(661,522)


 

        (745,734)

 

Adjustments for:






 

Net loss on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

95,066


531,596


491,941

 

Movement in other receivables

23,851


15,580


1,552

 

Movement in trade and other payables

(12,069)


(17,941)


(3,655)

 

Net cash outflow from operating activities

(123,418)


(132,287)


(255,896)

 

 






 

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(123,418)


(132,287)


(255,896)

 

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period / year

222,304


478,200


478,200

 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period / year

98,886


345,913


222,304

 










 

 

 



 

NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

1. Accounting Policies

Basis of accounting

 

The interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the International Accounting Standard ("IAS") 34, Interim Financial Reporting.  The interim financial statements do not include all the information and disclosures required in the annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the Company's annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2024. The annual financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). The same accounting policies and methods of computation are followed in the interim financial statements as in the Company's annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2024.

 

2. Investments

 

Six months ended

31 December 2024


Six months ended

31 December 2023


Year

ended

30 June

2024

 

(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(audited)

 

£

 

£

 

£

 

Africa Oil Corp, at market value

328,342


442,680


423,244

Cost, 300,000 shares

534,836


534,836


534,836

(31 December 2023: 300,000 shares, 30 June 2024: 300,000 shares)






 






Cataleya Energy Corporation, at market value

1,480,915


1,454,796


1,467,155

Cost, 474,816 shares

3,751,906


3,751,906


3,751,906

(31 December 2023: 474,816 shares, 30 June 2024: 474,816 shares)












Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas Oil Limited, at market value

160,500


165,000


198,000

Cost, 1,500,000 shares

240,000


240,000


240,000

(31 December 2023: 1,500,000 shares, 30 June 2024: 1,500,000 shares)












JHI Associates Inc, at market value

2,203,996


2,182,521


2,182,521

Cost, 5,651,270 shares

7,770,027


7,770,027


7,770,027

(31 December 2023: 5,651,270 shares, 30 June 2024: 5,651,270 shares)












Ratio Petroleum Energy Limited Partnership shares, at market value

5,467


2,609


3,365

Cost, 89,653 shares

22,256


22,256


22,256

(31 December 2023: 89,653 shares, 30 June 2024: 89,653 shares)












Total market value

4,179,220


4,247,606


4,274,202

Total cost

12,319,025


12,319,025


12,319,025









NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONTINUED)

 

2. Investments (continued)

 

Six months ended

31 December 2024


Six months ended

31 December 2023


Year

ended

30 June

2024

 

(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(audited)

 

£

 

£

 

£

 

Total fair value adjustment

(8,139,806)


(8,071,420)


(8,044,740)

Reverse prior year fair value adjustment

8,044,740


7,850,598


7,850,598

Current period fair value movement

(95,066)


(220,822)


(194,142)







Unrealised loss

(95,066)


(220,822)


(194,142)

Realised loss

-


(310,774)


(297,799)

Current period income statement impact

(95,066)


(531,596)


(491,941)







 

                                          

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