DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE )--Matador Resources Company (NYSE: MTDR) (“Matador” or the “Company”) today announced its full year 2022 operating plan and market guidance. A slide presentation summarizing Matador’s 2022 operating plan and market guidance is also included on the Company’s website at www.matadorresources.com on the Events and Presentations page under the Investor Relations tab. In a separate press release issued today, Matador also reported its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2021 .
Matador’s full year 2022 guidance estimates are summarized in the table below.
Total D/C/E and Midstream CapEx
(1) Represents percentage change from 2021 actual results to the midpoint of 2022 guidance range. (2) One barrel of oil. (3) One billion cubic feet of natural gas. (4) One barrel of oil equivalent, estimated using a conversion factor of one barrel of oil per six thousand standard cubic feet of natural gas. (5) Capital expenditures associated with drilling, completing and equipping wells. (6) Primarily reflects Matador’s share of capital expenditures for San Mateo Midstream, LLC (“San Mateo”).
The full year 2022 guidance estimates presented in the table above are based upon the following key assumptions for 2022 drilling and completions activity and capital expenditures.
D/C/E CapEx(1) Components
Artificial Lift / Other Production Related
Capitalized G&A and Interest
Total D/C/E CapEx
(1) Capital expenditures associated with drilling, completing and equipping wells. (2) Represents percentage change from 2021 actual results to the midpoint of 2022 guidance range.
Management Comments Regarding 2022 Operating Plan
Joseph Wm. Foran, Matador’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, commented, “The Board, the staff and I are pleased today to provide our 2022 operating plan and market guidance. We believe that 2022 should again be rewarding for Matador and all of its stakeholders, as we continue developing our excellent Delaware Basin assets, generating significant free cash flow, paying down debt, evaluating potentially accretive acquisition opportunities and returning cash to shareholders through increases to the dividend as our performance allows. We were pleased to announce yesterday that Matador’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share payable in March 2022, amounting to $0.20 per share on an annualized basis, and consistent with the doubling of our dividend in the fourth quarter of 2021, as compared to the first three quarters of 2021.
“We began 2022 operating five drilling rigs in the Delaware Basin but have recently contracted a sixth drilling rig to begin development of certain recently acquired assets in the western portion of our Ranger asset area in Lea County, New Mexico, which are ‘bolt on’ positions to the Company’s existing acreage. We plan to operate these six rigs across our various Delaware Basin asset areas throughout 2022, and the 2022 drilling program is expected to focus on opportunities throughout our various Delaware Basin assets. Although we expect to turn to sales 15 wells in the Stateline asset area and nine wells on the Rodney Robinson leasehold in 2022, we are also excited to return to the development of high-quality targets in the Antelope Ridge, Rustler Breaks and Ranger asset areas. As in recent years, Matador’s 2022 drilling program will continue to focus on longer laterals, with 90% of the operated horizontal wells we turn to sales in 2022 anticipated to have lateral lengths of two miles or greater.
“We are anticipating a number of key milestones in 2022, as we did in 2021, that are expected to add significant value, while also positioning Matador for continued growth and free cash flow in the coming years. The first of these milestones was recently accomplished when production was turned to sales from 11 new Voni wells in the Stateline asset area, all of which had completed lateral lengths of approximately 12,000 feet, or about 2.3 miles. The second milestone should be realized in mid-to-late March when we turn to sales production from nine new Rodney Robinson wells in the western portion of our Antelope Ridge asset area. During April and May, we expect to reach a third milestone when we turn to sales production from 11 new wells in the Rustler Breaks asset area. During the latter portion of the third quarter, we should realize our fourth key milestone for 2022, when we turn to sales production from 16 wells in the Antelope Ridge asset area outside of the Rodney Robinson leasehold. The fifth and final milestone for 2022 should occur in late November and December when we turn to sales production from 11 new wells in the Ranger asset area, including seven wells drilled on the recently acquired acreage in the Ranger asset area.
“San Mateo concluded a record financial quarter in the fourth quarter of 2021 and a record year in 2021 and is poised for additional growth in 2022 as well. San Mateo has become a very strategic component of Matador’s overall business strategy over the years, as well as a top provider of ‘three-pipe’ midstream services to its customers in the Delaware Basin. San Mateo expects to generate free cash flow again in 2022. As they did last year, the San Mateo team will be working hard in 2022 to add new customers and throughput volumes to its midstream system, which, if successful, may require additional capital expenditures in 2022, but should lead to additional economies of scale for its midstream system.
“The Board, the staff and I are confident in our abilities to efficiently execute this 2022 operating plan. We are excited about the 2022 milestones in front of us, and the year is off to a good start in that regard. As you will see in this release, we expect to have record production results again in 2022 and should oil and natural gas prices continue to remain strong throughout 2022, we believe our 2022 operating plan, in the capable hands of our office and field staff, should generate record financial results and free cash flow as well.”
The table below provides Matador’s expectations for operated and non-operated wells to be turned to sales during 2022. Additional details regarding Matador’s drilling and completions program for 2022 are provided in the slide presentation accompanying this press release.
3-AVLN, 3-1BS, 2-2BS, 1-3BS
6-1BS, 8-2BS, 3-3BS
7-2BS, 4-3BS, 3-WC A
1-BYCN, 4-1BS, 7-2BS, 2-3BS,
2-1BS, 5-3BS-Carb, 8-WC B
Note: AVLN = Avalon; BYCN = Brushy Canyon; BS = Bone Spring; BS-Carb = Bone Spring Carbonate; WC = Wolfcamp;. For example, 1-3BS indicates one Third Bone Spring completion and 3-WC A indicates three Wolfcamp A completions for full year 2022.
Matador expects to turn to sales 80 gross (60.8 net) operated wells in the Delaware Basin in 2022, as follows:
Additional important features of Matador’s 2022 Delaware Basin operating program are noted below.
Stateline Asset Area – Eddy County, New Mexico
At February 22, 2022, Matador had recently turned to sales the 11 Voni wells in the Stateline asset area as planned. Matador is not currently drilling in the Stateline asset area as the Company takes a planned pause from drilling and completion activities in that area for several months. Matador has turned to sales production from 50 wells in the Stateline asset area in the last 18 months and now plans to allow these wells to produce for several months before returning in May to drill and complete four additional Wolfcamp B wells. These four additional Boros wells are anticipated to be turned to sales late in the third quarter of 2022 and, consequently, will not contribute significantly to Matador’s production until the fourth quarter.
Antelope Ridge Asset Area – Lea County, New Mexico
Matador is currently completing nine wells on the Rodney Robinson leasehold in the western portion of the Antelope Ridge asset area, and these wells are expected to be turned to sales in mid-to-late March 2022. Matador also expects to actively drill other of its properties throughout the Antelope Ridge asset area in 2022 and especially during the first six months of 2022. The Company expects to turn to sales production from an additional 17 wells in the Antelope Ridge asset area outside the Rodney Robinson leasehold during 2022, with 16 of these wells anticipated to be turned to sales at various times during the latter half of the third quarter.
Rustler Breaks Asset Area – Eddy County, New Mexico
Matador expects to return to active development of its Rustler Breaks asset area in 2022 and anticipates operating one rig in this asset area throughout much of 2022. The 2022 drilling program in the Rustler Breaks asset area should be characterized by longer laterals with more focus on the development of primarily Bone Spring targets, as compared to most of the Company’s previous drilling campaigns in the Rustler Breaks asset area, which consisted primarily of one-mile laterals and Wolfcamp targets. Matador expects to turn to sales 20 wells in the Rustler Breaks asset area throughout the second, third and fourth quarters of 2022.
Ranger and Arrowhead Asset Areas – Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico
Matador plans increased activity in its Ranger asset area during 2022, resulting from the success of the four Uncle Ches wells turned to sales during 2021 and in early 2022, as well as the Company’s recent acquisition of “bolt on” properties to its existing leasehold in Lea County, New Mexico (please see the discussion of Recent Acquisitions and Divestitures in the Company’s Fourth Quarter 2021 earnings release issued on February 22, 2022 for additional details on the recently acquired properties). At February 22, 2022, Matador had contracted a sixth drilling rig to begin development of certain of these recently acquired properties in the Ranger asset area. Matador expects to turn to sales seven wells on these recently acquired properties at varying times during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Matador plans to drill and complete two additional wells in the Greater Stebbins Area beginning in May 2022, and these wells are expected to be turned to sales during the fourth quarter of 2022. The Company then expects to return to more active development of the Greater Stebbins Area in late 2022 and into 2023.
Wolf Asset Area – Loving County, Texas
At February 22, 2022, Matador had recently turned to sales production from three wells, all Second Bone Spring completions, in the Wolf asset area as anticipated. Matador plans to drill three additional wells in the Wolf asset area beginning in August 2022, but these wells are not expected to be turned to sales until early 2023.
Oil, Natural Gas and Oil Equivalent Production Growth and Anticipated Cadence
Matador expects to continue drilling longer horizontal wells from multi-well pads in 2022, with 90% having lateral lengths of two miles or greater. This, in turn, is expected to result in an uneven cadence of wells being turned to sales in any given period, much like the Company has experienced over the last two years. As a result, Matador expects its production growth profile to continue to be uneven or “lumpy” from quarter to quarter.
The table below provides estimated ranges for Matador’s average daily oil, natural gas and total oil equivalent production on a quarterly basis throughout 2022, as compared to actual average daily oil, natural gas and total oil equivalent production in the fourth quarter of 2021. While the table below should provide a reasonable expectation of the Company’s production growth profile for 2022 as of February 22, 2022, the Company anticipates updating these quarterly estimates for the second quarter of 2022 and future periods throughout the year, as necessary to reflect its actual results and then-current estimates.
Matador’s estimated 2022 total oil equivalent production of 37.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (“BOE”), or an average daily oil equivalent production of approximately 102,000 BOE per day (58% oil), at the midpoint of the 2022 guidance range, reflects a year-over-year increase of 19%, as compared to 31.5 million BOE (57% oil), or 86,200 BOE per day, produced in 2021. The Company anticipates its average daily oil equivalent production should increase 24% from 87,300 BOE per day in the fourth quarter of 2021 to approximately 108,500 BOE per day in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Matador’s estimated 2022 total oil production of 21.5 million barrels, or an average daily oil production of approximately 58,900 barrels of oil per day, at the midpoint of the 2022 guidance range, reflects an increase of 21%, as compared to 17.8 million barrels, or an average of 48,900 barrels of oil per day, produced in 2021. The Company anticipates its average daily oil production should increase 26% from 49,800 barrels of oil per day in the fourth quarter of 2021 to approximately 62,500 barrels of oil per day in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Matador’s estimated 2022 total natural gas production of 95.0 billion cubic feet, or an average daily natural gas production of approximately 260.3 million cubic feet per day, at the midpoint of the 2022 guidance range, reflects an increase of 16%, as compared to 81.7 billion cubic feet, or an average daily natural gas production of 223.8 million cubic feet per day, produced in 2021. The Company anticipates its average daily natural gas production should increase 23% from 225.2 million cubic feet per day in the fourth quarter of 2021 to approximately 276.0 million cubic feet per day in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Matador estimates total oil equivalent production of 35.6 million BOE (59% oil) from the Delaware Basin, or 97,500 BOE per day, at the midpoint of 2022 guidance, a year-over-year increase of 21% from 2021. The Company anticipates its total oil and natural gas production from the Delaware Basin should increase 22% and 20%, respectively, year-over-year, at the midpoint of 2022 production guidance.
As noted in the table above, Matador expects its average daily total production to increase 5% sequentially from 87,300 BOE per day in the fourth quarter of 2021 to approximately 92,000 BOE per day in the first quarter of 2022. The Company’s first quarter 2022 production volumes have been impacted by several factors that have deferred portions of its anticipated first quarter production into the second quarter of 2022, including (i) several Boros wells which were shut-in in the Stateline asset area while hydraulic fracturing operations were completed by another operator on offsetting wells; (ii) more wells than originally anticipated being shut-in on the Rodney Robinson leasehold while the Company conducts hydraulic fracturing operations on nine new wells there; (iii) periods of shut-in production in the Greater Stebbins Area attributable to artificial lift installations on several of the wells turned to sales in December 2021; and (iv) periods of shut-in production on certain of the recently acquired properties in the Ranger asset area resulting from the need to install and repair ESPs and to upgrade production facilities on these properties.
As a result of these factors, Matador’s average daily total production declined below fourth quarter 2021 levels in January and early February but increased sharply beginning in mid-February with the completion of certain of these operations and the initial production from a number of wells recently turned to sales, including the 11 new Voni wells. Matador’s average daily total production was approximately 84,000 BOE per day in January 2022 but is anticipated to be approximately 93,000 BOE per day in February and approach approximately 100,000 BOE per day in March, depending on when the nine Rodney Robinson wells are turned to sales. Further, as noted in the table above, Matador anticipates its second quarter 2022 average daily total production to increase sequentially by 15 to 17%, as compared to the first quarter of 2022, with average daily oil production anticipated to increase by 18 to 20%.
The Company will host a live conference call on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2021 financial and operational results, as well as its 2022 operating plan and market guidance. To access the live conference call, domestic participants should dial (855) 875-8781 and international participants should dial (720) 634-2925. The participant passcode is 5787287. The live conference call will also be available through the Company’s website at www.matadorresources.com on the Events and Presentations page under the Investor Relations tab. The replay of the event will also be available on the Company’s website through March 31, 2022.
Matador is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States, with an emphasis on oil and natural gas shale and other unconventional plays. Its current operations are focused primarily on the oil and liquids-rich portion of the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Matador also operates in the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. Additionally, Matador conducts midstream operations, primarily through its midstream joint venture, San Mateo, in support of its exploration, development and production operations and provides natural gas processing, oil transportation services, natural gas, oil and produced water gathering services and produced water disposal services to third parties.
For more information, visit Matador Resources Company at www.matadorresources.com .
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. “Forward-looking statements” are statements related to future, not past, events. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and include any statement that does not directly relate to a current or historical fact. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “could,” “believe,” “would,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “continue,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “project,” “hypothetical,” “forecasted” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about guidance, projected or forecasted financial and operating results, future liquidity, the payment of dividends, results in certain basins, objectives, project timing, expectations and intentions, regulatory and governmental actions and other statements that are not historical facts. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, and such forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the following risks related to financial and operational performance: general economic conditions; the Company’s ability to execute its business plan, including whether its drilling program is successful; changes in oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids prices and the demand for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids; its ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves; costs of operations; delays and other difficulties related to producing oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids; delays and other difficulties related to regulatory and governmental approvals and restrictions; impact on the Company’s operations due to seismic events; its ability to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms; its ability to integrate acquisitions; availability of sufficient capital to execute its business plan, including from future cash flows, increases in its borrowing base and otherwise; weather and environmental conditions; the impact of the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, on oil and natural gas demand, oil and natural gas prices and its business; the operating results of the Company’s midstream joint venture’s Black River cryogenic natural gas processing plant; the timing and operating results of the buildout by the Company’s midstream joint venture of oil, natural gas and water gathering and transportation systems and the drilling of any additional produced water disposal wells; and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. For further discussions of risks and uncertainties, you should refer to Matador’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of Matador’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Matador undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release, except as required by law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Mac Schmitz Capital Markets Coordinator (972) 371-5225 investors@matadorresources.com
Mac Schmitz Capital Markets Coordinator (972) 371-5225 investors@matadorresources.com