Noble Midstream announces acquisition of Noble Energy interests

Highlights include:

• The Transactions are expected to be approximately 5% accretive to Noble Midstream’s estimated distributable cash flow per unit in 2020.
• The acquired interests include US$160 million in anticipated 2020 Adjusted EBITDA and US$40 million in IDR distributions, implying an aggregate 8x 2020 transaction multiple.
• Concurrent with the transaction, NBLX has reset the long-term distribution growth rate target to 10% annually, resulting in an estimated distribution coverage ratio of 1.3x in 2020.
• The Transactions reduce pro-forma 2019 Last Quarter Annualised (LQA) EBITDA leverage to ~3.8x and 2020 LQA EBITDA leverage to 3.1x.
• The Transactions fully align Noble Midstream with Noble Energy through the Partnership’s now 100% ownership in Noble Energy’s current US onshore focus areas.
• Acquired assets include NBLX’s first gas processing complex in the DJ Basin and incremental 3-stream gathering in the southern Delaware Basin.
• Private unit offering of US$250 million increases common unit float by ~55%, which is expected to enhance trading liquidity.

Commenting on the acquisition, Brent J. Smolik, Chief Executive Officer of Noble Midstream, said “Noble Energy has completed its midstream strategic review. We are excited to announce the resulting simplification and drop transaction. This financially-attractive acquisition of essentially all of Noble Energy’s remaining midstream assets will enhance operational synergies and increase economic alignment in Noble’s growth basins. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to distributable cash flow per unit.

With a significant amount of the backbone infrastructure complete and Noble Energy’s deep drilling inventory in both the DJ and Delaware basins, these assets are expected to further drive our capital efficiency beyond our successful 2019 levels. The long-term strategic alignment with Noble Energy will enhance the growth in Noble Midstream LP unit distributions to NBL’s ownership interest.”

Tom Christensen, Chief Financial Officer added, “The elimination of the IDRs and the acquisition simplifies our structure and enhances alignment with the sponsor, immediately lowering our cost of capital and supporting strategic long-term growth and value creation. Pro-forma for the acquisition, NBLX maintains peer-leading leverage, and with the added scale, commands a high return opportunity set to deliver top tier returns to its unitholders. This transaction results in a self-funding midstream entity with increased exposure to two high return onshore basins as well as promising equity barrel value opportunities. By recalibrating our distribution, we retain a leading distribution growth rate relative to peers while better aligning the distribution with midstream investor expectations.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/15112019/noble-midstream-announces-acquisition-of-midstream-interests/