RWE Dea

Description

Strategy

Key data

RWE Dea has stakes in production facilities and concessions in Germany, the UK, Norway, Denmark and Egypt and holds exploration concessions in Algeria, Libya and Poland. Moreover, in Germany RWE Dea also operates large subterranean storage facilities for natural gas.

2007 Review of Results and Operations

Increased focus on natural gas business
Gas production at RWE Dea saw a positive trend, up to 3.21 billion cubic metres. Production was up by 8 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, oil production, yielding 2.75 million cubic meters, declined by 28 per cent year-on-year.

Reserves and resources
Reserves and contingent resources (discovered) grew by about 13 per cent in 2007, to 192 million cubic meters of oil equivalents (OE). Of this volume, gas accounts for a share of 68 per cent. While natural gas and crude oil reserves of 81.1 million cubic meters OE are down by 14 per cent, the volume of proven resources grew by 47 per cent, to 110.9 million cubic meters OE. This substantial growth is chiefly due to discoveries made in North Africa.

Revenues
Total sales revenues in the 2007 financial year amounted to 1,694 million euros, 4.3 per cent down on the previous-year figure of 1,771 million euros.

Capital spending
RWE Dea expanded its investments in 2007. At 505 million euros, they exceeded the previous year’s level of 481 million euros by five per cent. Capital spending primarily went into the drilling programs in Egypt, Libya and Algeria as well as into the start of developing the Gjoea field in Norway.

Targeted development of exploration and production

Onshore drilling activities in the Egyptian Nile Delta
In fiscal 2007 operations of RWE Dea were further reinforced by extending exploration and production activities. The outstanding position in Egypt was further extended by successful exploration work, the acquisition of the Tanta concession as well as the takeover of the 30 per cent share of the partner Perenco in the North Idku concession. Development of the North Idku natural gas deposit is next in line. In March 2008 a gas sales agreement was signed with the Egyptian state-owned oil company EGPC, with a permit being issued for execution of the first phase of the development project. In doing so, RWE Dea are starting their first major field development program with the objective of achieving first production in 2010.

In Algeria the series of successful exploratory wells drilled also continued in 2007. Production is scheduled to start in 2012.

Activities in Libya also remained very promising. Exploration activities carried out to date have already resulted in four oil strikes in the Sirte Basin. Further investigations are under way in an effort to confirm the resources drilled so far, and to develop the concepts for commercial production. The extensive drilling campaign is being pursued using four drilling rigs.

In the United Kingdom, production of natural gas has exceeded the level of 1 billion cubic meters of gas for the first time following the successful development of several small fields. In Norway, development of the gas and condensate field Gjoea (RWE Dea stake: 8%) is now under way. Moreover, production from the Snoehvit gas storage reservoirs (RWE Dea stake: 2.8%) has now commenced. Wells in Denmark have confirmed further oil potential in the vicinity of the Nini and Cecilie fields (RWE Dea stake: 30%), exceeding original expectations.

Exploration activities were also expanded in the home market, Germany. RWE Dea has a strong position in terms of oil and gas production, as well as gas storage operations. The company’s objective is to keep production at a constant level for as long as possible. This also applies to further oil deposits considered to exist in the vicinity of Germany’s largest oil field, Mittelplate, where RWE Dea plans to drill five exploration wells to explore the formations underground. Planning activities take environmental protection issues into account and are being carried out in close consultation with the relevant authorities, the National Parks administration as well as community associations and municipalities.

Growth and internationalization of the workforce
RWE Dea conducts its activities with an organization consisting of 1,145 employees (previous year: 1,051). This is equivalent to an increase by 9 per cent. Additional workers are needed for the further extension of business operations. The company’s growth will predominantly take place outside Germany.

Within the scope of the growth strategy of the RWE Group, RWE Dea plans to intensify the expansion of its upstream activities. The company have set themselves the ambitious target of more than doubling present production volume by the year 2013. The company have the necessary reserves and resources to do so. This growth will be generated above all by boosting the output of natural gas which, at 70 per cent, represents the lion’s share of the company’s proven resources. To achieve this objective, in the next several years RWE Dea plans to make approx. 800 million euros in investments per annum.

Capex

Production

Gas production at RWE Dea saw a positive trend, up to 3.21 billion cubic metres in 2007. Production was up by 8 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, oil production, yielding 2.75 million cubic meters, declined by 28 per cent year-on-year.

During 2006, gas production amounted to 2.98 billion m3, up 27% year-onyear. An important reason for this was that 2006 was the first full year of production in the British Saturn field. Production volumes in Germany rose as well.

At 3.81 million m3, the company's oil production volume was down by 18% year-on-year. This was due, among other factors, to a contractual review and re-determination of the respective stakes in the Snorre field in Norway. A further reason was the natural decline in production in Denmark, Egypt, and Dubai, and the loss of the production in Kazakhstan due to the sale of the company, effective July 1, 2006.

Reserves

Reserves and contingent resources (discovered) grew by about 13 per cent in 2007, to 192 million cubic meters of oil equivalents (OE). Of this volume, gas accounts for a share of 68 per cent. While natural gas and crude oil reserves of 81.1 million cubic meters OE are down by 14 per cent, the volume of proven resources grew by 47 per cent, to 110.9 million cubic meters OE. This substantial growth is chiefly due to discoveries made in North Africa.

The total of RWE Dea's reserves and contingent resources (discovered) in 2006, taking into account the sale in Kazakhstan and the return of the license in Dubai, declined by about 6% and is now 169.9 million m3 oil equivalents (OE). Without these reductions, the company's reserves and contingent resources (discovered) would have shown an increase of 3%. The proportion of gas is around 70%.

At 94.5 million m3 OE, natural gas and crude oil reserves are 19% below the previous year's level. This trend is primarily due to ongoing production, the retirements in Kazakhstan and Dubai, and the re-determination of the Snorre field.

Who's Who

Offices

Lower Saxony Production District
(Förderbetrieb Niedersachsen)
Schülinger Straße 21
D-27299 Langwedel-Holtebüttel

RWE Dea Egypt
16 Road 253 Degla-Maadi
P.O. Box 1146
Cairo
Egypt

RWE Dea North Africa / Middle East GmbH
Libya Branch
Barcelona Street
15/A Hai Andalus, Tripoli
P.O. Box 83815 Libya

RWE Dea Norge AS
Karenslyst allé 2, Skoyen
Postboks 243 Skøyen.
N - 0213 Oslo
Norway

RWE Dea UK
4th Floor 90 High Holborn WC1V 6LJ London
United Kingdom

RWE Dea Polska Oil Sp.z o. o.
Ul. Lindleya 16/114
PL – 02-013 Warszawa
Poland