CNE Canacol Energy Ltd

Canacol Energy Ltd. (“Canacol” or the “Corporation”) (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2023. Dollar amounts are expressed in United States dollars, with the exception of Canadian dollar unit prices (“C$”) where indicated and otherwise noted.

Highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2023

• Adjusted EBITDAX increased 23% to $60.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to $49.6 million for the same period in 2022.
• The Corporation’s natural gas and LNG operating netback increased 12% to $4.01 per Mcf for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to $3.58 per Mcf for the same period in 2022. The increase is mainly due to an increase in average sales prices, net of transportation expenses and a decrease in operating expenses, partially offset by an increase in royalties.
• Realized contractual natural gas sales volume increased 2% to 185.6 MMcfpd for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to 181.8 MMcfpd for the same period in 2022. The increase is mainly due to gas sales to Tesorito, partially offset by a decrease in interruptible sales.
• Total revenues, net of royalties and transportation expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 increased 12% to $73.9 million, compared to $65.9 million for same period in 2022, mainly due to higher natural gas and LNG sales volume as well as higher average sales price, net of transportation expenses.
• Adjusted funds from operations decreased 3% to $32.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to $33.8 million for the same period in 2022, mainly due to an increase in current income tax expense, offset by an increase in total revenue, net of royalties and transportation expenses, and a decrease in operating expenses.
• The Corporation realized a net income of $16.9 for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to a net income of $24.4 million for the same period in 2022.
• Net cash capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $47.1 million.
• As at March 31, 2023, the Corporation had $72.1 million in cash and cash equivalents and $22.7 million in working capital deficit.

Outlook

For the remainder of 2023, the Corporation is focused on the following objectives: 1) the drilling of up to 10 exploration and appraisal wells in a continuous program targeting a 2P reserves replacement ratio of more than 200%; 2) the acquisition of 282 square kilometers of 3D seismic on the VIM-5 block to expand the Corporation’s exploration prospect inventory; 3) progressing the new gas pipeline project from Jobo to Medellin which will add 100 MMcfpd of new gas sales to the interior in late 2024, allowing Canacol to increase gas sales to over 300 MMcfpd; 4) continuing to return capital to shareholders; and 5) continuing with our commitment of strengthening our environmental, social and governance strategy and reporting with the objective of improving the Corporation’s ranking on various sustainability indices.

FINANCIAL & OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS(in United States dollars (tabular amounts in thousands) except as otherwise noted)

Financial	Three months ended March 31,
	2023		2022		Change
Total revenues, net of royalties and transportation expense	73,913		65,883		12	%
Adjusted EBITDAX(1)	60,928		49,624		23	%
Adjusted Funds from operations(1)	32,693		33,816		(3	%)
Per share – basic ($)(1)(2)	0.96		0.98		(2	%)
Per share – diluted ($)(1)(2)	0.96		0.98		(2	%)
Cash flow provided by operating activities	30,969		38,063		(19	%)
Per share – basic ($)(2)	0.91		1.10		(17	%)
Per share – diluted ($)(2)	0.91		1.10		(17	%)
Net income and comprehensive income	16,874		24,415		(31	%)
Per share – basic ($)(2)	0.49		0.71		(31	%)
Per share – diluted ($)(2)	0.49		0.71		(31	%)
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic(2)	34,111		34,490		(1	%)
Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted(2)	34,144		35,628		(1	%)
Net cash capital expenditures(1)	47,123		27,478		71	%
	Mar 31, 2023		Dec 31, 2022		Change
Cash and cash equivalents	72,073		58,518		23	%
Working capital deficit	(22,666	)	(22,603	)	—	%
Total debt	590,037		550,752		7	%
Total assets	1,096,428		1,014,848		8	%
Common shares, end of period (000’s)(2)	34,111		34,111		—	%
Operating	Three months ended March 31,
	2023		2022		Change
Production(1)
Natural gas and LNG (Mcfpd)	188,384		183,130		3	%
Colombia oil (bopd)	565		428		32	%
Total (boepd)	33,615		32,556		3	%
Realized contractual sales(1)
Natural gas and LNG (Mcfpd)	185,624		181,813		2	%
Colombia oil (bopd)	587		412		42	%
Total (boepd)	33,153		32,309		3	%
Operating netbacks(1)
Natural gas and LNG ($/Mcf)	4.01		3.58		12	%
Colombia oil ($/bbl)	25.86		14.23		82	%
Corporate ($/boe)	22.88		20.33		13	%

(1)  Non-IFRS measures – see “Non-IFRS Measures” section within the MD&A.(2)  Restated to reflect the 5:1 share consolidation on January 17, 2023 - see “Share Consolidation” section within the MD&A.

This press release should be read in conjunction with the Corporation’s interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”). The Corporation has filed its interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related MD&A as at and for the three months ended March 31, 2023 with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. These filings are available for review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation’s shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CNE, the OTCQX in the United States of America under the symbol CNNEF, the Bolsa de Valores de Colombia under the symbol CNEC.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward- looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “target”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation’s properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Information and guidance provided herein supersedes and replaces any forward looking information provided in prior disclosures. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. Other risks are more fully described in the Corporation’s most recent Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) and Annual Information Form, which are incorporated herein by reference and are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Average production figures for a given period are derived using arithmetic averaging of fluctuating historical production data for the entire period indicated and, accordingly, do not represent a constant rate of production for such period and are not an indicator of future production performance. Detailed information in respect of monthly production in the fields operated by the Corporation in Colombia is provided by the Corporation to the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia and is published by the Ministry on its website; a direct link to this information is provided on the Corporation’s website. References to “net” production refer to the Corporation’s working-interest production before royalties.

Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures - Such supplemental measures should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, the measures as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Corporation’s performance, and such measures may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. This press release also provides information on adjusted funds from operations. Adjusted funds from operations is a measure not defined in IFRS. It represents cash provided (used) by operating activities before changes in non-cash working capital and the settlement of decommissioning obligation, adjusted for non-recurring charges. The Corporation considers adjusted funds from operations a key measure as it demonstrates the ability of the business to generate the cash flow necessary to fund future growth through capital investment and to repay debt. Adjusted funds from operations should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Corporation’s performance. The Corporation’s determination of adjusted funds from operations may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. For more details on how the Corporation reconciles its cash provided by operating activities to adjusted funds from operations, please refer to the “Non-IFRS Measures” section of the Corporation’s MD&A. Additionally, this press release references Adjusted EBITDAX and operating netback measures. Adjusted EBITDAX is defined as consolidated net income adjusted for interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenses and other similar non- recurring or non-cash charges. Operating netback is a benchmark common in the oil and gas industry and is calculated as total natural gas, LNG and petroleum sales, net transportation expenses, less royalties and operating expenses, calculated on a per barrel of oil equivalent basis of sales volumes using a conversion. Operating netback is an important measure in evaluating operational performance as it demonstrates field level profitability relative to current commodity prices. Adjusted EBITDAX and operating netback as presented do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures for other entities.

Operating netback is defined as revenues, net transportation expenses less royalties and operating expenses.

Realized contractual sales is defined as natural gas and LNG produced and sold plus income received from nominated take- or-pay contracts without the actual delivery of natural gas or LNG and the expiry of the customers’ rights to take the deliveries.

The Corporation’s LNG sales account for less than one percent of the Corporation’s total realized contractual natural gas and LNG sales.

Boe Conversion - The term “boe” is used in this news release. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of cubic feet of natural gas to barrels oil equivalent is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. In this news release, we have expressed boe using the Colombian conversion standard of 5.7 Mcf: 1 bbl required by the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia. As the value ratio between natural gas and crude oil based on the current prices of natural gas and crude oil is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 5.7 Mcf:1, utilizing a conversion on a 5.7 Mcf:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value. 

For further information please contact:        

Investor Relations
South America: +571.621.1747 IR-SA@canacolenergy.com
Global: +1.403.561.1648 IR-GLOBAL@canacolenergy.com         
http://www.canacolenergy.com