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ENRON CORP TO PROVIDE FINANCING & TAKE EQUITY STAKE IN PENTEX ENERGY PLC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, November 13, 1997
LONDON Enron Corp. announced today that it has agreed upon terms to provide up to £70 million ($119.5 million) of financing to Pentex Energy plc. The transaction, which is subject to certain conditions including approval by Pentex shareholders, will include an approximate £18.8 million ($32 million) pre-payment for a crude-oil swap involving one-third of Pentexıs total UK production over the next eight years; a £44 million ($75 million) term loan facility; and a purchase of 40 million
shares of common equity at 18.5 pence per share, for a total equity investment of
approximately £7.4 million ($12.5 million), which would represent an Enron
ownership of approximately 11 percent of Pentex. Enron also will receive one warrant
for each ten shares purchased, which will entitle Enron to subscribe for additional
shares at the same price. Enron will be represented on the board of Pentex Energy plc.
Funds from the transaction will be used by Pentex to repay its bank loan of
£25.9 million ($44 million) and to provide funds for development of existing reserves
and the acquisition of oil and gas assets.
"We are delighted to invest in and work with such an innovative company" said
Mark Frevert, president and chief executive officer of Enron Europe. "Pentex is a
proven operator and has excellent technological and engineering expertise. We believe
its strategy of reserves acquisition and exploitation will continue to yield success.
"Providing capital to clients in the energy sector is a major element of Enron's
merchant strategy," Frevert added. "Since 1990 we have made more than $3 billion of
capital available to third party finance customers worldwide, and we look forward to
offering similar products and services to other customers in the European energy
market."
Enron Corp., one of the worldıs largest integrated natural gas and electricity
companies with approximately $21 billion in assets, operates one of the largest natural
gas transmission systems in the world; is the largest marketer of natural gas and
electricity in North America; is a leading participant in liberalized energy markets in the
United Kingdom and the Nordic Countries; markets natural gas liquids worldwide;
manages the largest portfolio of fixed-price natural gas risk management contracts in the
world; is among the leading entities arranging new capital to the energy industry; owns
a majority interest in Enron Oil & Gas Company, one of the largest independent (non-
integrated) exploration and production companies in the United States; owns a majority
interest in Enron Global Power & Pipelines L.L.C., which is owner and manager of
operating power plants and natural gas pipelines around the world; is one of the largest
independent developers and producers of electricity in the world; and is a major supplier
of solar and wind energy worldwide. Enronıs internet address is www.enron.com and its common stock is traded under the ticker symbol, "ENE."
Pentex Energy plc is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and has a
current market capitalisation of £55 million. The company was formed in 1981 and
now employs approximately 70 people.
For additional information please contact:
Jackie Gentle
0191 214 0222
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