Frontera announces fourth quarter and year end 2024 results, year-end reserves and operational update

Frontera Energy

CALGARY, AB, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") today reported financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, announced the results of its annual independent reserves assessment conducted by DeGolyer and MacNaughton Corp ("D&M") and provided an operational update. All financial amounts in this news release and in the Company's financial disclosures are in United States dollars, unless otherwise stated. All of the Company's booked reserves for the year ended December 31, 2024, are located in Colombia and Ecuador.

Gabriel de Alba, Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented:

"2024 was another strong year for Frontera as the Company achieved all its key guidance targets while returning over $83 million to its shareholders from 2024 thru today.

The Company generated full year Operating EBITDA of $424 million, and closed the year with a strong balance sheet, including a $223 million cash position. Additionally, the Company reduced its total consolidated debt and lease liabilities by more than $30 million, including repurchasing $5 million of its 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes. Both S&P and Fitch reaffirmed Frontera's B+ and B credit rating, respectively, and stable outlook, highlighting the Company's sound credit quality, strong financial position, and industry-low leverage levels.

During the year, the Company's Infrastructure business generated $107 million of Adjusted Infrastructure EBITDA, and achieved several key milestones, including the announcement of a new LPG joint venture with Industrias Gasco and the construction of the Reficar connection, which is expected to be operational by the second quarter 2025. Importantly, Frontera's strategic review of its Infrastructure business is nearing conclusion, and the Company is analyzing various options and will communicate results in due course.

With respect to our Guyana business, the Company remains firmly of the view that its interests in, and the Petroleum Prospecting License for the Corentyne block offshore Guyana ("License") for the Corentyne block remain in place and in good standing, as the Petroleum Agreement has not been terminated. The Joint Venture is assessing all legal options available to it to assert its rights.

In January 2025, the Company repurchased an additional $30 million in common shares via another substantial issuer bid. Since 2022, the Company has returned over $180 million to its shareholders through normal course issuer bids, substantial issuer bids and dividends The Company will continue to consider future investor initiatives throughout the year, including potential additional dividends, distributions, or bond buybacks, based on the overall results of the business, oil prices, cash flow generation and the Company's strategic goals."

Orlando Cabrales, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Frontera, commented:

"In 2024, we successfully executed our strategy generating positive results. Driven by successful drilling campaigns in the CPE-6 block, where we reached another record daily production level of almost 9,000 boe/d in the fourth quarter, and Sabanero which saw production increase to 2,384 boe/d in the fourth quarter, we delivered our production targets for the year. For the full year 2024, water processing volumes in SAARA averaged approximately 44,000 barrels of water per day, and during the fourth quarter, SAARA water processing volumes reached an average of 79,000 barrels of water per day. On the cost side, despite inflationary pressures, the Company achieved all its cost guidance targets, including production cost per boe, which averaged $9.34/boe due to strong cost controls.

Our strategy of value over volumes in our upstream Colombia and Ecuador business supported delivery of 100.6 million boe 1P and 151.3 million boe 2P gross reserves at year end 2024. The net present value of the Company's 2P reserves discounted at 10% before tax was $3.4 billion or $22.4/boe at December 31, 2024 and Frontera's NPV10 per boe grew by 4% year over year driven by our focus on operational efficiencies, optimization of development plans and reduced future development costs.

In our infrastructure business, ODL transported over 243,000 bbl/day while generating $274 million in full year EBITDA. Proportional to our 35% equity interest in the pipeline, we received over $60 million in capital distributions and our Adjusted Infrastructure EBITDA benefited from $96 million associated with ODL's EBITDA. Puerto Bahia generated approximately $15 million in operating EBITDA, supported by effective port operations cost controls. We look forward to commissioning and start-up of the Reficar Connection this year.

Importantly, we continue to sustainably achieve our operating objectives, achieving 100% of our 2024 sustainability goals, including restoring and preserving 769 hectares of land, achieving our best Total Recordable Incident Rate performance ever and being recognized for the fourth time as one of the world's most ethical companies by Ethisphere

Year-to-date 2025 production is approximately 40,400 barrels per day. The decrease from fourth quarter 2024 volumes is due to unexpected well failures within our Light and Medium assets occurring near the end of 2024. These issues are being addressed, and we remain confident in meeting our 2025 production guidance.

In 2025, our focus remains on executing our recently announced plan, delivering sustainable production, solid operational and financial results and enhancing investor returns."

The full release is available here.