Calgary: home to TransAtlantic Petroleum
TransAtlantic files Aussie bid
Calgary-based TransAtlantic Petroleum has filed a formal all-cash bid worth about A$83.7 million (US$53.7 million) with Australian regulators for Australia's Incremental Petroleum, potentially sparking a renewed battle for the Perth minnow.
The offer for Incremental, which has assets in Turkey and the US, follows the failure earlier this month of a hostile off-market takeover bid for the company by fellow Australian player Cooper Energy.
TransAtlantic originally announced its own off-market offer while Incremental shareholders were still considering the Cooper bid, urging them to take no action until the publication of today’s bidder’s statement.
Incremental said today it would respond soon to the formal bid. Meanwhile, Cooper Energy suggested it could launch a new bid for the company.
The Canadian company is offering A$1.05 (US$0.68) in cash for each Incremental share, which it says is a premium of 12.9% to the share price of 93 Australian cents on 24 October, the last day of trading before the Cooper bid was announced.
At that price, the TransAtlantic offer would value Incremental at about A$83.7 million, well below Cooper’s offer, which was said to be worth A$104 million.
The offer is conditional on TransAtlantic acquiring at least 75% of Incremental shares, and on other conditions.
Cooper managing director Mike Scott told the AAP news service today that the company would "keep all its options open and reserve all its rights" with respect to the new offer.
He said he expected Incremental shareholders to reject the TransAtlantic offer, based on an independent expert's report which valued the company at about A$2.73 per share.
Incremental chief executive Gerry McCann told the AAP that the company may need to update the independent report in the light of the deteriorating global financial situation.
He said the Incremental board would meet immediately to consider the offer.
Cooper Energy holds about 27% of Incremental’s 79.8 million outstanding shares following its failed bid. TransAtlantic already holds a 9.16% stake, while Incremental directors hold 13.5% and independent shareholders 50.56%.
In September, TransAtlantic farmed into a 60% stake in Incremental’s Licence 4262 exploration permit in Turkey.
Incremental’s only producing asset is at the Selmo oilfield in south-east Turkey. The company also has a stake in the Edirne gas field in western Turkey with fellow Australian Otto Energy.
TransAtlantic has operations in Morocco, Turkey and Romania.