CALGARY - Baytex Energy Corp. ('Baytex') (TSX: BTE) reports its operating and financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (all amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted).
'We delivered strong first quarter production and free cash flow as we accelerate our deleveraging strategy. At current commodity prices, we expect to generate over $250 million of free cash flow in 2021 and we have an exciting, new, oil exploration discovery in the Clearwater oil play in Peace River with follow-up drilling already scheduled for H2/2021. I am also pleased to announce our five-year outlook which demonstrates our operational and financial strength in a US$55 WTI pricing environment as we target over $1 billion of cumulative free cash flow through 2025,' commented Ed LaFehr, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Advisory Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
In the interest of providing Baytex's shareholders and potential investors with information regarding Baytex, including management's assessment of Baytex's future plans and operations, certain statements in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as 'believe', 'continue', ''estimate', 'expect', 'forecast', 'intend', 'may', 'objective', 'ongoing', 'outlook', 'potential', 'project', 'plan', 'should', 'target', 'would', 'will' or similar words suggesting future outcomes, events or performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date thereof and are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking statements relating to but not limited to: our business strategies, plans and objectives; our 2021 plan to maximize free cash flow and accelerate our deleveraging strategy; expected 2021 free cash flow and liquidity; that our 5 year- outlook demonstrates financial and operational sustainability at US$55 WTI and will generate >$1 billion of cumulative free cash flow; our Clearwater drilling plans for H2/2021; our revised capital spending and production guidance for 2021, and the timing and location of our incremental capital spending; for our 2021 outlook: that we will maintain a disciplined and returns based capital allocation philosophy, assumes US $55 WTI constant pricing, targets capital spending at less than 70% of adjusted fund flow; the associated annual capital spending, materially improves our leverage metrics, targets net debt to EBITDA of under 1.5x, positions for enhanced shareholder returns which could be share buy-backs, a dividend or reinvestment for organic growth; in 2021 we expect to benefit from our diversified oil weighted portfolio and our commitment to allocate capital effectively; our priority is to generate stable production, maximize free cash flow and further strengthen our balance sheet; updated guidance for 2021 exploration and development expenditures, production, royalty rate, operating, transportation, general and administration and interest expense and leasing expenditures and asset retirement obligations; in 2021 that we expect to: bring on production 20 net wells in the Eagle Ford and 120 in the Viking, kick off our heavy oil program in July and drill 35 net wells, including 6 additional Clearwater wells, and drill 2 net wells in the Duvernay; that we have 100 sections of highly prospective Clearwater lands and that we have de-risked our approximately 38-kilometer acreage fairway in the Pembina Duvernay; that we expect to maintain our financial liquidity and our expected liquidity at year-end 2021; that we use financial derivative contracts and crude-by-rail to reduce adjusted funds flow volatility, the percentage of our expected production in 2021 and 2022 we have hedged and the percentage of our expected exposure to the light oil differential and heavy oil differential to WTI we have hedged. These forward-looking statements are based on certain key assumptions regarding, among other things: petroleum and natural gas prices and differentials between light, medium and heavy oil prices; well production rates and reserve volumes; our ability to add production and reserves through our exploration and development activities; capital expenditure levels; our ability to borrow under our credit agreements; the receipt, in a timely manner, of regulatory and other required approvals for our operating activities; the availability and cost of labour and other industry services; interest and foreign exchange rates; the continuance of existing and, in certain circumstances, proposed tax and royalty regimes; our ability to develop our crude oil and natural gas properties in the manner currently contemplated and current industry conditions, laws and regulations continuing in effect (or, where changes are proposed, such changes being adopted as anticipated). Readers are cautioned that such assumptions, although considered reasonable by Baytex at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.
Actual results achieved will vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the volatility of oil and natural gas prices and price differentials (including the impacts of Covid-19); the availability and cost of capital or borrowing; risks associated with our ability to exploit our properties and add reserves; availability and cost of gathering, processing and pipeline systems; that our credit facilities may not provide sufficient liquidity or may not be renewed; failure to comply with the covenants in our debt agreements; risks associated with a third-party operating our Eagle Ford properties; public perception and its influence on the regulatory regime; restrictions or costs imposed by climate change initiatives and the physical risks of climate change; new regulations on hydraulic fracturing; restrictions on or access to water or other fluids; changes in government regulations that affect the oil and gas industry; regulations regarding the disposal of fluids; changes in environmental, health and safety regulations; costs to develop and operate our properties; variations in interest rates and foreign exchange rates; risks associated with our hedging activities; retaining or replacing our leadership and key personnel; changes in income tax or other laws or government incentive programs; uncertainties associated with estimating oil and natural gas reserves; our inability to fully insure against all risks; risks of counterparty default; risks related to our thermal heavy oil projects; alternatives to and changing demand for petroleum products; risks associated with our use of information technology systems; results of litigation; risks associated with large projects; risks associated with the ownership of our securities, including changes in market-based factors; risks for United States and other non-resident shareholders, including the ability to enforce civil remedies, differing practices for reporting reserves and production, additional taxation applicable to non-residents and foreign exchange risk and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.
These and additional risk factors are discussed in our Annual Information Form, Annual Report on Form 40-F and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in our other public filings
The above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements has been provided in order to provide shareholders and potential investors with a more complete perspective on Baytex's current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.
There is no representation by Baytex that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those referenced in the forward-looking statements and Baytex does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.
Non-GAAP Financial and Capital Management Measures
In this news release, we refer to certain financial measures (such as adjusted funds flow, exploration and development expenditures, free cash flow, net debt and operating netback) which do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by Canadian GAAP ('non-GAAP measures') and are considered non-GAAP measures. While adjusted funds flow, exploration and development expenditures, free cash flow, net debt and operating netback are commonly used in the oil and gas industry, our determination of these measures may not be comparable with calculations of similar measures for other issuers.
Adjusted funds flow is not a measurement based on generally accepted accounting principles ('GAAP') in Canada, but is a financial term commonly used in the oil and gas industry. We define adjusted funds flow as cash flow from operating activities adjusted for changes in non-cash operating working capital and asset retirement obligations settled. Our determination of adjusted funds flow may not be comparable to other issuers. We consider adjusted funds flow a key measure that provides a more complete understanding of operating performance and our ability to generate funds for exploration and development expenditures, debt repayment, settlement of our abandonment obligations and potential future dividends.
In addition, we use a ratio of net debt to adjusted funds flow to manage our capital structure. We eliminate settlements of abandonment obligations from cash flow from operations as the amounts can be discretionary and may vary from period to period depending on our capital programs and the maturity of our operating areas. The settlement of abandonment obligations are managed with our capital budgeting process which considers available adjusted funds flow. Changes in non-cash working capital are eliminated in the determination of adjusted funds flow as the timing of collection, payment and incurrence is variable and by excluding them from the calculation we are able to provide a more meaningful measure of our cash flow on a continuing basis.
Exploration and development expenditures is not a measurement based on GAAP in Canada. We define exploration and development expenditures as additions to exploration and evaluation assets combined with additions to oil and gas properties. Our definition of exploration and development expenditures may not be comparable to other issuers. We use exploration and development expenditures to measure and evaluate the performance of our capital programs. The total amount of exploration and development expenditures is managed as part of our budgeting process and can vary from period to period depending on the availability of adjusted funds flow and other sources of liquidity.
Free cash flow is not a measurement based on GAAP in Canada. We define free cash flow as adjusted funds flow less exploration and development expenditures (both non-GAAP measures discussed above), payments on lease obligations, and asset retirement obligations settled. Our determination of free cash flow may not be comparable to other issuers. We use free cash flow to evaluate funds available for debt repayment, common share repurchases, potential future dividends and acquisition and disposition opportunities.
Net debt is not a measurement based on GAAP in Canada. We define net debt to be the sum of cash, trade and other accounts receivable, trade and other accounts payable, and the principal amount of both the long-term notes and the credit facilities. Our definition of net debt may not be comparable to other issuers. We believe that this measure assists in providing a more complete understanding of our cash liabilities and provides a key measure to assess our liquidity. We use the principal amounts of the credit facilities and long-term notes outstanding in the calculation of net debt as these amounts represent our ultimate repayment obligation at maturity. The carrying amount of debt issue costs associated with the credit facilities and long-term notes is excluded on the basis that these amounts have already been paid by Baytex at inception of the contract and do not represent an additional source of capital or repayment obligation.
Operating netback is not a measurement based on GAAP in Canada, but is a financial term commonly used in the oil and gas industry. Operating netback is equal to petroleum and natural gas sales less blending expense, royalties, production and operating expense and transportation expense divided by barrels of oil equivalent sales volume for the applicable period. Our determination of operating netback may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures for other entities. We believe that this measure assists in characterizing our ability to generate cash margin on a unit of production basis and is a key measure used to evaluate our operating performance.
Baytex Energy Corp.
Baytex Energy Corp. is an oil and gas corporation based in Calgary, Alberta. The company is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of crude oil and natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and in the Eagle Ford in the United States. Approximately 81% of Baytex's production is weighted toward crude oil and natural gas liquids. Baytex's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BTE.
Contact:
Brian Ector
Tel: 1-800-524-5521
Email: investor@baytexenergy.com
BAYTEX ENERGY CORP. 
