CALGARY, Canada – November 10, 2022, High Arctic Energy Services Inc. (TSX: HWO) (the “Corporation” or “High Arctic”) released its’ third quarter results today. Mike Maguire, CEO of High Arctic, commented: “Papua New Guinea is key to High Arctic’s long-term business strategy. There have been significant LNG commitments in PNG made by large oil and gas companies and High Arctic is positioned well to support our customers’ future investments. Over fifteen years High Arctic has developed the logistics expertise and trained local workforce required to operate the heli-portable drilling rigs in otherwise inaccessible PNG locations. As our long-term investors know, PNG is a market where we have developed a strong position with potential for higher profits and free cash flow. In the past this has funded corporate growth and shareholder returns. The divestment of our Canadian Production Services segment this quarter allows us to focus on putting rigs back to work in PNG. We are currently providing services to both our principal customer and the PNG-LNG operator, and we are looking forward to returning to consistent drilling operations following an exceptional period of Covid driven activity suspension. The Corporation continues to look at the capital allocation decision in relation to its current and expected significant cash balances. This may include a return of capital to shareholders or reinvestment in the business.” Highlights The following highlights the Corporations results for Q3-2022 and YTD-2022: • During the Quarter, High Arctic made a strategic shift to capitalize on opportunities and focus on developments in its core market of Papua New Guinea while resetting its long-standing energy service presence in Canada. o Disposed of Canadian well servicing business for cash consideration, originally acquired in 2016 o Consolidated snubbing industry in Canada through disposal of snubbing business for an equity interest and note receivable in acquiring company o Renewed a key drilling services contract in PNG as the country begins early-stage reactivation of upstream activity in its largest commodity export, liquified natural gas o Carried forward in Canada with active Rental and Nitrogen Services businesses o Built upon its record of shareholder returns with dividend payments of $731, and o Delivered safety excellence and ESG alignment with a customer portfolio of high-quality operators. • Preparations to return to drilling in PNG with Rig 103 progressed, adding an upgrade of the topdrive, enhancing the rigs drilling capability. Rig 103 is expected to commence drilling operations by the end of the first quarter of 2023. • High Arctic maintained a strong financial position, with working capital of $65,434 including $23,386 cash, $12,101 accounts receivable, $28,000 asset sale receivable (due in January 2023), and total debt of $7,860 as at September 30, 2022. Outlook High Arctic has taken transformative actions this quarter which will allow the Corporation to focus on the emerging opportunities to deploy drilling assets in Papua New Guinea, while maintaining exposure to the Canadian Energy Services market. High Arctic believes that the fundamentals for sustained high LNG demand, particularly in Asia, positions PNG for substantive LNG export growth, and the drilling required to realize this has the potential to exceed our past activity peaks. On August 1, 2022 High Arctic entered into a three-year contract renewal covering customer owned Heli-portable Rig 103 and High Arctic’s services related to the supply of personnel, camp accommodation and rental equipment to support the drilling operations in PNG. Work is currently underway to prepare Rig 103, including an upgrade of its topdrive, for recommencement of drilling early in 2023. High Arctic anticipates Rig 103 will operate consistently through the term of the contract. This cornerstone contract is flexible and scalable to align with activity, which positions High Arctic to respond quickly to future incremental drilling opportunities associated with LNG expansion. While the contract for customer owned Rig 104 was not renewed at that time, High Arctic is optimistic for future contracts with third-party customers in the coming activity cycle. High Arctic maintains active dialogue with the management of all the active energy companies in PNG, towards understanding their project timeframes and plans for drilling activity utilizing High Arctic’s owned rigs. The Corporation expects an additional drilling rig deployment in the 1st half of 2023 and is optimistic about further activity increases by the end of next year. The advancement of the TotalEnergies led Papua-LNG project’s front-end-engineering-and-design continues to progress and has recently included public forums outlining plans for early-works and overall project timelines around a final investment decision on the two-train Papua-LNG project in the 2nd half of 2023. Earlier this year ExxonMobil, operator of the PNG-LNG joint venture, announced the signing of a gas agreement for the development of the P’nyang gas field in the Western Province of PNG, which is anticipated to result in the addition of another train to the world class PNG-LNG export facility. These developments underpin our optimism of an expanding PNG energy sector and increasing future demand for our people, equipment and expertise. In Canada, the post-closing transitional activities have progressed smoothly with the buyers of Concord Well Servicing and High Arctic’s snubbing division. The consolidated Team Snubbing Services has already increased market share, with deployed services exiting Q3-2022 exceeding the sum of the two parts in 2021. Team’s dominant market position and service quality has immediately driven pricing improvements and margin growth. Streamlining of the management support structure of High Arctic’s remaining Canadian business is well underway and has been consolidated for efficient operation of our pressure control focused HAES Rentals and Nitrogen pumping services. Management remains attentive to opportunities to best realize a return on the investments in these Canadian service lines, and the dormant snubbing assets in the USA. Commensurate with these efforts is an exploration of growth financing options levered off the Corporations assets in PNG. Strategy Strategic priorities build on High Arctic’s core values, code of business conduct and fiscal discipline, including: • Safety excellence and quality service delivery, • Actions aimed at generating free cash flow including: • Increased utilization of the Corporation’s world-class fleet of … Read more