The Oklahoman

Templar Energy to reorganize

- BY ADAM WILMOTH Energy Editor awilmoth@oklahoman.com

Templar Energy LLC has reached an agreement with most of its lenders to restructur­e $1.45 billion in debt and reorganize the company.

Templar Energy LLC has reached an agreement with most of its lenders to restructur­e $1.45 billion in debt and reorganize the company.

The Oklahoma City-based oil and natural gas producer said it has reached a deal with holders of 82 percent of its second-lien debt and all of its equity holders and first lean lenders. Under terms of the restructur­ing support agreement, the $1.45 billion in debt would be converted into equity in the reorganize­d company, which also would raise $365 million in cash from preferred equity.

Templar also said it has secured an amended credit facility with a borrowing base of $600 million.

“Management is extremely pleased with the outcome of the company’s negotiatio­ns with its lenders and the terms of the contemplat­ed restructur­ing, which significan­tly deleverage­s the company’s balance sheet and will allow Templar to continue to operate seamlessly in a lower commodity price environmen­t with no impact on its customers and vendors,” CEO David D. Le Norman said in a statement. “We will work over the next several weeks to gain support from the rest of the second-lien lenders in order to implement this transactio­n expedientl­y on an out-of-court basis.”

Templar executives are now seeking formal support from its remaining lenders with the goal of avoiding bankruptcy, the company said in a statement.

“The company firmly believes that an out-of-court process will be faster and more efficient than an in-court process; however, the company has already received sufficient support from the second-lien lenders to consummate the restructur­ing through a prepackage­d Chapter 11 proceeding, and intends to pursue that path to the extent unanimous support is not obtained,” Templar said in the statement.

The restructur­ing plan is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter if a deal can be reached out of court, and by the end of the year if bankruptcy proceeding­s are required, the company said.

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