Kunle Kalejaye
01 November 2016, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Seven Energy an integrated gas company operating in southeast Nigeria has completed the final documentation with its Accugas IV Facility lenders to revise the amortisation profile of the Accugas IV Facility, reducing its near term debt service obligations in 2016 and 2017.
The re-profiling of the principal amortisation of its $445 million Accugas IV Facility is a consent solicitation process for capitalisation of interest on its $400 million Senior Secured Notes.
Commenting on this milestone Bruce Burrows, Chief Financial Officer of Seven Energy, said, “We would like to thank the Accugas lenders, and our long-standing facility arranger, FBN Merchant Bank Limited, for their continued support. The Accugas Facility, which is currently drawn to $375 million, has grown with Accugas and has supported and enabled the expansion of the company’s activities since the first Accugas facility was put in place in 2010.”
Patrick Mgbenwelu, Director and Head of Debt Solutions at FBN Merchant Bank Limited, said, “We are pleased to have secured the unanimous approval of the Accugas lenders for this rescheduling which evidences the continued strong support of the lenders for this facility and the good understanding which the lenders have about the Seven Energy and Accugas business model and growth fundamentals, which has evolved and performed since its initial inception in 2010.”
Further, in order to strengthen its near term liquidity, Seven Energy Finance Ltd. Had earlier on 27th October2016 announced that it had launched a consent solicitation to allow for the capitalisation of interest on its $400 million Senior Secured Notes, at the company’s option, by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Notes, beginning with the 11 October 2016 interest payment date and for up to the following three interest payment dates, namely 11 April 2017, 11 October 2017 and 11 April 2018.
As at 27th October 2016, 82 percent of the holders of the Senior Secured Notes had agreed to the proposed amendment.
Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Ihenacho noted: “Our Accugas business has recently achieved a key milestone – we have completed a further extension of our gas network so that we are now able to deliver gas through a gas ring that is over 300 kilometres long, which provides added redundancy and security of supply for our customers.
“This involved the commitment of another $100 million of capital to complete the construction. We now have a robust pipeline network capable of delivering up to 600 million standard cubic feet of gas per day into the Calabar, Aba, and Port Harcourt areas. This is all thanks to the unwavering support of both our lenders and our shareholders. As I have said before, Seven Energy remains committed to the gas industry in Nigeria.”