WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., July 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG) announced today that it has completed the purchase of integrated upstream and midstream gathering assets in Pennsylvania from SWEPI LP, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE: RDS.A), in an all cash transaction of approximately $504 million, after customary purchase price adjustments.
“The closing of the largest acquisition in our 118-year history marks an exciting time for the Company, and leaves us well-positioned for the long-term, said David P. Bauer, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Bauer added, “With the integration of these high-quality, contiguous assets in one of the most prolific areas of Appalachia into our existing operations, we expect to generate meaningful free cash flow in our upstream and midstream businesses. Additionally, we have executed a financing strategy which further strengthens our balance sheet and maintains our investment grade ratings, reinforcing the strong foundation of our business as we move into the future.”
National Fuel plans to provide preliminary fiscal 2021 guidance in connection with its third quarter earnings release on August 6, 2020. However, the Company expects this acquisition to be highly accretive to its earnings per share in fiscal 2021, driven by significant acquired flowing production and related gathering throughput, further unit cost reductions, and its strong hedge position.
National Fuel is an integrated energy company reporting financial results for four operating segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. Additional information about National Fuel is available at www.nationalfuel.com.
