Friday, July 22, 2016

Lucas Energy, Inc. (LEI) Leveraging Acquisition-Based Growth Strategy to Navigate Prolonged Down Cycle in Oil

Houston-based Lucas Energy, Inc. (NYSEMKT: LEI) is a growth-oriented, independent oil and gas company developing significant acreage positions in the Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk resource plays in South Texas. Since mid-2014, the price of a barrel of oil has dropped from over $100 to less than $50, bottoming at about $26 in February of this year. The result has been more than 80 bankruptcies in the energy sector over the past 18 months, with survival becoming the primary objective for industry operators.

Leaning on the experience of its management team, Lucas Energy has survived the recent downturn in energy prices while simultaneously positioning itself to capitalize on the current market environment and expand its national footprint. As part of these efforts, the company announced a purchase agreement to acquire working interests in producing properties and undeveloped acreage in two largely contiguous acreage blocks in the Mid-Continent region. This proposed acquisition, which includes assets from 21 different entities and individuals, is currently under review by the Securities and Exchange Commission, with closing expected to occur by October 2016.

“While the past year was another difficult one for the energy industry, it afforded our Company with multiple opportunities, with the most significant being our agreement to acquire the working interests in certain oil and gas properties in Texas and Oklahoma from Segundo Resources,” Anthony C. Schnur, chief executive officer of Lucas Energy, added in a recent news release.

Moving forward, the completion of the Mid-Continent acquisition will play a key role in Lucas Energy’s growth strategy. The company anticipates a significant increase in daily production stemming from this transaction that will effectively redirect its strategic vision. To better reflect this updated vision, Lucas Energy has also announced plans for a rebranding name change to Camber Energy, a name which the company believes better reflects the inclining production rates typically observed with assets in the Hunton formation of Central Oklahoma’s Mid-continent reserves.

Outside of this planned acquisition, Lucas Energy’s primary development activities are located in the Eagle Ford Shale trend, which is recognized as one of the most active plays in the United States. With the precipitous drop in oil prices over the past year and a half, activity at the company’s Eagle Ford assets has been limited. However, advances in drilling and completion technologies continue to decrease drilling costs, and Lucas Energy will continue to review opportunities to accelerate development of its five million barrels of proved reserves through direct development or strategic partnerships.

Though revenues are down across the board in the oil and gas industry, Lucas Energy paints a promising picture for the future with a three-pronged long-term strategy designed to navigate the prolonged down cycle. First, the company intends to continue developing its acquired and existing assets by working closely with its lender and entering agreements with institutional investors. Second, Lucas Energy will look to capitalize on the down cycle through the completion of bolt-on acquisitions that offer significant value with minimal upfront costs. Finally, the company will continue to pursue material acquisitions in order to create a marketable asset portfolio with expanded drilling inventory.

“The last several years have been difficult for Lucas, and the fiscal 2016 results bear that out. However, we are confident in our future direction and ambitious growth initiative,” reads a recent statement from the company’s management team. “What we will create with Segundo and the establishment of Camber is a platform on which to build our Company, through the acquisition, and development of additional reserves through and out of this cyclical downturn.”

For more information visit www.lucasenergy.com

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