Golar LNG Limited (Golar) announces that Perenco Cameroon S.A. (Perenco) and Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH), together the customer of FLNG Hilli (Hilli), have elected to exercise 0.2 million tons per annum (“MTPA”) of their optional Dutch Title Transfer Facility (“TTF”) linked production volumes from 2023 to July 2026, continuing Hilli’s 2022 production volume of 1.4 million tons per annum.
The tariff for the 0.2 MTPA from January 2023 to July 2026 is linked to TTF gas prices. Based on current average 2023 TTF gas prices ($45.49/MMBtu) the 0.2 MTPA of production can generate US$135 million of incremental annual Adjusted EBITDA to Golar. For each US$1.00/MMBtu change in TTF, this Adjusted EBITDA will increase (or decrease) by US$3.2million. The total value of the 0.2 MTPA production from 2023 until July 2026 is approximately $267 million in Adjusted EBITDA to Golar based on current TTF forward prices.
Hence Hilli will continue with three components to its Adjusted EBITDA generation; a fixed tariff, a Brent oil linked tariff, and a TTF gas price linked tariff. At current forward prices for 2023, Golar’s share of annual distributable Hilli Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately $286 million (fixed tariff of $65 million, Brent oil linked earnings of $86 million, and TTF linked earnings of approximately $135 million). Golar’s share of total annual debt service for Hilli’s contractual debt is approximately $50 million (debt amortization of approximately $29 million and interest of approximately $21 million). Hilli is therefore expected to generate significant free cash flow to equity for the reminder of the fixed contract. Golar may enter into hedging transactions to reduce the sensitivity of the commodity linked components of Hilli’s future earnings, as we have done in 2022.
Golar CEO Karl Fredrik Staubo commented: “We are pleased to see continued TTF linked gas volumes from Hilli through the rest of the existing contract, maturing in July 2026. These confirmed additional volumes combined with Hilli’s outstanding operational track record will add significant free cash flow generation near term with no incremental capex”.
About Golar LNG Ltd.
Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ: GLNG) is one of the world's largest independent owners and operators of LNG carriers with over 40 years of LNG industry experience. Golar LNG together with Golar Partners own and manage a fleet of 26 LNG Carriers and FSRUs. Golar's innovation delivered the world's first Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU) based on the conversion of existing LNG carriers. Golar's latest strategic move is to extend its business model further upstream by deploying its floating liquefaction technology (GoFLNG). The objective is to become the industry's leading integrated midstream LNG services provider, supporting resource owners, gas producers and gas consumers.