Tullow Oil Share Discussion Threads

[ringer12] 15/3/2011 20:23

Why should CNOC and Total be due to pay taxes as indicated in the announcement.
Normally you would expect the seller to be responsible for CGT. But then I suppose nothing is staightforward in Uganda!

[eipgam] 15/3/2011 19:27

TLW to pay $469m within a month? I wonder how that will work?



Uganda tax officials and U.K.-based Tullow Oil PLC (TLW.LN) Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to resolve a long-running tax dispute that has held up oil and gas development in the country.

A top Uganda official said the agreement will clear the way for Tullow to close a deal with Heritage Oil PLC (HOIL.LN) to take over assets that had been jointly operated by Heritage and Tullow. Tullow has planned to farm out a stake in the assets to Chinese giant China National Offshore Oil Company (CEO) and French oil major Total SA (TOT). Both transactions had been held up by a tax dispute between Tullow and Uganda.

Under the agreement, Tullow agreed to pay $469 million to Uganda in the next month, according to a Uganda government statement released to reporters. This sum is in addition to the $121 million already paid to Uganda in taxes following Tullow's takeover of Heritage assets in the country last year, the Uganda statement said. Tullow General Counsel Graham Martin confirmed the $469 million figure Tuesday night to Dow Jones.

At an official ceremony with Martin and other Tullow officials, Uganda energy minister Hilary Onek said Tullow will pay $469 million within the month, but that both sides expect some of the funds to ultimately be covered by Heritage following a tax tribunal between Uganda and Heritage expected to take place in the next three months.

A Tullow statement released late Tuesday said the memorandum of understanding "provides a process" for Uganda and Tullow to reach a "resolution of the impasse created by the Heritage and Tullow tax situations." The Tullow statement mentioned neither the $469 million figure nor the tribunal.

The $469 million figure includes some 30% of the $472 million in capital gains taxes associated with Tullow's farmout to Total and CNOOC, Onek said. Onek said Tullow was contesting the valuation of the tax related to its transaction with Total and CNOOC.

Martin told Dow Jones Newswires that Tullow would meet with CNOOC and Total in London on Wednesday to start the process of reaching a final agreement on the structure of the farmout, including the portion of taxes to be covered by Total and CNOOC.

Uganda officials touted the agreement as a major breakthrough.

"The MOU will help Tullow fully take over the assets it bought from Heritage and also ensure that Tullow farm-out to CNOOC and Total," said Fred Kalisa Kabagambe, the ministry's permanent secretary.

The dispute relates to a $283 million capital gains tax bill that Uganda has said should be paid by Heritage following a $1.45 billion transaction last year. The $283 million is currently being held in escrow.

Uganda's management of its oil industry became a flashpoint in the recent presidential lection, with President Museveni repeatedly declaring that Uganda wouldn't allow the wishes of foreign oil producers to have greater priority than the wellbeing of the Ugandan public. Museveni won the Feb. 18 election with 68% of the vote.

-By Nicholas Bariyo, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; 256-75-2624615 [e-mail]

[85gary] 15/3/2011 18:43

Onwards and upwards then........really good news for Tullow. I just hope the further news promised after SPA signed is not leaked via text messages and unknown source to DJN beforehand.

[ben chod] 15/3/2011 17:36

INTERVIEW
Tullow's staff around the world recently got an opportunity to interview Chief Executive Officer, Aidan Heavey. The full interview was published on the Group's Intranet and an abstracted version on its website. Below are extracts on Uganda

[phillis] 15/3/2011 17:34

SPAs within 10 days
Looking v good

[85gary] 15/3/2011 17:14

It should be good news ringer, but what have they actually signed? All the words I've seen say "intended to allow", "clear the way", "help Tullow to conclude purchase from Heritage, sale to CNOOC and Total", but this wording is subjective. No offence intended to Hilary Onek, who signed the document, but this time a year ago he said similar things. I'm 99% sure things will progress now election is over and mou is signed, but I am becoming so cynical..... I'd just like to see the detail so I can make up my own mind. Heritage price has fallen suggesting they are liable for tax, but I've read recently a Tullow spokesman suggested they will probably end up undertaking liability. Just publish what was signed and I can make up my own mind.

[ringer12] 15/3/2011 16:45

It seems inevitable that any Tullow good news will come on a bad day for the market.

[mccracken227] 15/3/2011 15:32

signed at last but in a dire market!!!

[phillis] 15/3/2011 14:57

Gary
The "Financial World" has no control over the Ugandan government or any other government for that matter
TLW's obligations are to report via RNS when material events have taken place (and not before - in case they don't!)

[exmooroil] 15/3/2011 14:39

The signing ceremony is reported to take place at 4pm local time. It's 5.40pm now.

[85gary] 15/3/2011 14:22

What is the finacial world of fairness coming to when we learn of a signing ceremony may be taking place via a Ugandan ministry text to DJN. No doubt his mates are making the most of the detail in any agreement a full 24 hours before shareholders know. Media coverage and influence seems to be taking centre stage at the moment.

[phillis] 15/3/2011 13:30

agree - this can be very good news!

[ben chod] 15/3/2011 12:36

must be worth an extra 150p - 200p

[ben chod] 15/3/2011 12:34

itson djn news also could this put to bed the long standing dispute

[zingaro] 15/3/2011 12:18

From Chart Trader on the TIAE thread

Company: Tullow Oil PLC


DJ Uganda Energy Min Says Reached Agreement With Tullow On Tax Dispute


KAMPALA (Dow Jones)--The Uganda Energy Ministry of Energy and Minerals will hold a signing ceremony this afternoon with Tullow Oil PLC (TLW.LN) that resolves a long-standing tax dispute that has held up oil and gas development in the country.

The ministry sent a text message to reporters Tuesday announcing the event at Amber House at 4 pm local time, according to a text message. An agency spokeswoman confirmed that the ceremony would mark a memorandum of understanding to resolve a longstanding tax dispute.

The dispute relates to a $283 million capital gains tax bill that Uganda has said should be paid by Tullow's former partner Heritage Oil PLC (HOIL.LN). Tullow acquired 100% of the Ugandan licenses after it bought out its former partner Heritage Oil PLC (HOIL.LN) for $1.45 billion last year. The dispute has held up a plan by Tullow to farm out a stake in its Uganda properties to Total SA (TOT) and China National Offshore Oil Company (CEO).

Last week, a senior Uganda energy official told Dow Jones that the two sides had reached an agreement on the dispute, but declined to discuss the details.

Uganda's management of its oil industry became a flashpoint in the recent presidential election, with President Museveni repeatedly declaring that Uganda wouldn't allow the wishes of foreign oil producers to have greater priority than the wellbeing of the Ugandan public. Museveni won the Feb. 18 election with 68% of the vote.



-By Nicholas Bariyo

[b1llyboy] 12/3/2011 02:05

Bears are calling further oil pull back due to Jap demand..........

Fact Tsunami affected farmland not major production areas.

Fact JAPS can import refined oil.......even more business.

Fact JAP industrial capoacity will not be affected.

Fact Korea can take up slack in theoritical pull back in JAP industry.

Fact major investment in Tsunami rebuild.....$30/40billion.

[chris coxon] 11/3/2011 09:26

Agreed on that one.

[comcols] 11/3/2011 09:12

Agreed Chris and see your point but at this moment in time world events seem to be stacking against any market, what with Spain, Saudi, Libya and now Japan we are all in for a bumpy ride perhaps.

[chris coxon] 11/3/2011 07:31

comcols - Charts do not decide the price, they give you an accurate guide to trends in the share price and past support levels.

[comcols] 11/3/2011 06:22

If it kicks off in saudi today regarding the Libya demo's then no chart will save the fall thats for sure... It's real events not charts that decide the price surely ??

[chris coxon] 10/3/2011 17:58

It has just hit the bottom of the upward trend line on the daily chart, if this is broken tomorrow then the next support is 1330 - 1300.

[ringer12] 10/3/2011 16:49

With oil prices near peak I suppose it will only need another major oil discovery to push the share price down even further! Tullow amongstf the biggest losers and Hoil amongst the biggest winners just about sums it up.On the other hand perhaps it is time to top up.

[85gary] 10/3/2011 16:11

The next time a journalist or Ugandan government junior minister says we are near to solution and a Tullow source confirms the same, remind me to sell instead of hanging on for the Full Year results thinking we would have an official announcement by Aiden. Maybe by summer......Could have sold at 1480 and bought back at 1350 ish in the space of a few days.......my fault and I'm kicking myself but hopefully we do not have to wait another year to see share price go to the levels those clever analysts are forecasting. Bad day today for oil companies in general considering we are still well over $100/bbl.

[mccracken227] 10/3/2011 15:57

what a dismal week we are having