NBL Noble Energy Inc

Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) (“Noble Energy” or “the Company”) announced today a farm-out agreement for a portion of its interest in Block 12 offshore Cyprus with BG International (“BG”).  BG is acquiring a 35 percent interest in Block 12, which includes the Aphrodite natural gas discovery, for total cash consideration of $165 million. Aphrodite, discovered in 2011, has gross mean natural gas resources of approximately four trillion cubic feet. The transaction has an effective date of April 1, 2015, and is expected to close before the end of 2015. Noble Energy will maintain operatorship of Block 12 with a 35 percent interest.

J. Keith Elliott, Noble Energy’s Senior Vice President of Eastern Mediterranean, said, “Entering this upstream partnership with BG in our Cyprus discovery is an important step in moving the project forward for development. BG brings substantial technical, financial and marketing capacity to the partnership. Their longstanding presence and experience in the region are great complements to our own, and we are confident our combined strengths will enhance the value of Block 12. We are continuing to work with the government of Cyprus to finalize Aphrodite development plans.  In conjunction with that work, we have recently commenced gas marketing efforts, primarily targeting customers in Egypt, including both domestic purchasers and underutilized liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants.”

In addition to this transaction, Noble Energy announced the sale of its 47 percent interest in the Alon A and Alon C licenses offshore Israel, which include the Tanin and Karish fields, to the Delek Group for a total deal value of $73 million.  The divestment of interest in these assets is an important step in fulfilling Noble Energy’s obligations under the recently-approved Regulatory Framework in Israel and will simplify the ultimate sale of Tanin and Karish to a third party.  

Completion of both transactions are subject to certain regulatory approvals as well as customary closing conditions and adjustments.

Noble Energy (NYSE: NBL) is a global independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with total proved reserves of 1.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent at year-end 2014 (pro forma for the Rosetta acquisition). The company’s diverse resource base includes positions in four premier unconventional U.S. onshore plays – the DJ Basin, Eagle Ford Shale, Delaware Basin, and Marcellus Shale – and offshore in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Eastern Mediterranean and West Africa. Driven by its purpose, Energizing the World, Bettering People’s Lives®, the company is committed to safely and responsibly providing energy to the world while positively impacting the lives of our stakeholders. For more information, visit http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.

 

Forward Looking Statements 

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities law.  Words such as “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “may”, and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy’s current views about future events.  They include estimates of oil and natural gas reserves, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations.  No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected and actual results may differ materially from those projected.  Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected.  These risks include, without limitation, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the ability to replace reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy’s business that are discussed in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are also available from Noble Energy’s offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.  Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made.  Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances, management’s estimates, or opinions change.

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits the optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however, we have not disclosed the Company’s probable and possible reserves in our filings with the SEC. We use certain terms in this news release, such as “estimated gross resource,” which are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including these estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures and risk factors in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the SEC, available from Noble Energy’s offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.  

Investor Contacts
Brad Whitmarsh
(281) 943-1670   
brad.whitmarsh@nblenergy.com 

Megan Repine
(832) 639-7380 
megan.repine@nblenergy.com 


Media Contacts
Reba Reid
(713) 412-8441
media@nblenergy.com 

Paula Beasley
(281) 876-6133
media@nblenergy.com