Canada’s largest contract drilling firm is transferring to solidify its place with a $540-million all-share merger provide for the nation’s third-largest driller.
However the true attraction for Precision Drilling Ltd. is Trinidad Drilling Ltd.’s “super-spec†American rig fleet because the Canadian drilling trade stays in a deep funk due to commodity value reductions and low investor confidence.
“We have stated many instances that … acquisitions usually are not a precedence for Precision, however in this case the worth creation alternative was too compelling for us to ignore,†stated Precision CEO Kevin Neveu on a Friday convention name.
“Each Precision and Trinidad have centered on the US and the Center East as our major progress geographies. This mixed platform considerably reinforces our scale and market relevance in these key areas, positioning us for sustained progress and know-how deployment.â€
Trinidad rejects Ensign bid
In a information launch, Trinidad stated shareholders ought to assist Precision’s white knight provide and proceed to reject an all-cash $470-million hostile take-over bid from Ensign Power Companies Inc., Canada’s second-largest driller, launched in August.
All three corporations are based mostly in Calgary.
Trinidad’s shares have been forward 11 cents or about six per cent at $1.95 at midday on the Toronto Inventory Trade. Precision Drilling shares have been at $4.31, down 13 cents or about three per cent, and Ensign was off 40 cents or 6.three per cent at $5.95.
The Ensign bid was made quickly after Trinidad ended a strategic overview course of that allowed potential patrons to study the corporate. It stated no appropriate gives had been acquired.
Trinidad stated the Precision bid is price $2.11 per Trinidad share based mostly on Precision’s 30-day volume-weighted common share value. That is a premium of 25 per cent over the Ensign provide and 17 per cent over Trinidad’s 30-day value of $1.81, it stated.
‘Important worldwide progress platform’
“This mix of two high-quality drilling contractors creates the third-largest drilling contractor in the sturdy U.S. market and gives a big worldwide progress platform,†famous Trinidad CEO Brent Conway in a information launch.
The Precision-Trinidad merger is constructive for the Canadian drilling market as a result of it would scale back an oversupply of rigs chasing too few wells, stated Houston-based analyst Taylor Zurcher of Tudor Pickering Holt & Co.
“If Trinidad was solely a Canadian firm, I doubt Precision would have gone forward with this deal,†he stated. “I believe the true cause they like this deal is for the U.S. belongings, and that is as a result of the U.S. market is only a actually tight market on the excessive finish.â€
Drilling exercise in key American oil and gasoline fields the place superior know-how rigs that may drill lengthy horizontal wells are in demand is up over final 12 months whereas Canadian exercise is flat.
Ensign’s provide was “discount basement†however Precision’s bid is a good valuation, Zurcher stated.
30% of drilling market
Put up-merger, Precision’s rig depend could be behind U.S. chief Helmerich & Payne Inc. and second-place Patterson-UTI Power Inc. and sure tied with Nabors Industries Ltd., he added.
In Canada, Precision would have about 30 per cent of the contract drilling market.
The deal is price $1.03 billion if $477 million in Trinidad debt is included and would consequence in Trinidad shareholders proudly owning about 29 per cent of Precision.
The mixed firm would have 398 drilling rigs if the deal closes — 170 in the U.S., 26 in the Center East and 202 in Canada, though Neveu stated the plan is to instantly promote 50 rigs in Canada from each fleets. It expects about 215 rigs could be actively working.
Precision stated it expects to notice greater than $30 million per 12 months in financial savings from synergies with Trinidad.
In July, low pure gasoline costs have been cited by the Petroleum Companies Affiliation of Canada in reducing its 2018 Canadian drilling forecast to 6,900 oil and gasoline wells, 200 fewer than have been drilled in 2017.
Earlier this 12 months, Akita Drilling Ltd. stated it hoped to acquire better entry to the U.S. market by shopping for Calgary rival Xtreme Drilling Corp. in a $209-million cash-and-shares deal.
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