Serica’s half-year results were largely in line with expectations as production ramped up significantly and cash flow strengthened, but the market remained indifferent, reflecting cautious stance on near-term maintenance and associated production lulls.
- Average production increased to just over 45,000 barrels per day, a notable operational improvement driven by higher uptime and new assets, especially from the Triton Hub recovery.
- Total revenue more than doubled year-on-year, supported by a 33% increase in realized oil prices to $93 per barrel and a 50% rise in gas prices to 101p per therm, albeit partially offset by $89 million in hedging losses.
- Lancaster’s high operating costs ($89/boe) due to underutilized FPSO capacity inflated lifting costs, but excluding this, the underlying cost was below $25 per boe, supporting the company’s strong cash-generative profile.
- Post-tax cash flow from operations was $280 million (~$40/boe), underpinning the refreshed distribution strategy with distributions targeted at 15-30% of post-tax CFFO over the full year.
- Production in Q3 is expected to be lower due to scheduled annual maintenance at key hubs, with Serica anticipating a recovery and growth to over 65,000 barrels per day by Q4 through the addition of Spirit assets.
Community Discussion