Gasol plc Gasol agrees option to acquire AfGen (8037K)

TIDMGAS

RNS Number : 8037K

Gasol plc

28 August 2012

Gasol plc

('Gasol' or the 'Company')

Gasol agrees option to acquire African Power Generation Limited

Gasol (AIM: GAS) the West African energy development company, today announces that it has entered into an option agreement ('the Option Agreement') to purchase the entire issued share capital of African Power Generation Limited ('AfGen') from African Gas Development Corporation Limited ('Afgas').

Prior to commercialisation of its own gas resources, Gasol aims to develop gas markets in West Africa through liquefied natural gas ('LNG') import projects. These projects involve Gasol acquiring LNG and arranging for it to be shipped to a target market where it can be stored and regasified in Floating Storage and Regasification Units ('FSRUs'). The regasified gas can then be delivered to the West Africa Gas Pipeline for use in West Africa or delivered directly to power plants.

AfGen has had extensive negotiations on potential projects in West Africa and elsewhere, and is in advanced discussions on three LNG import projects in the region. The agreement signed today gives Gasol the option to access an existing project pipeline as opposed to developing its own projects from scratch.

Gasol has entered into the Option Agreement with AfGen and Afgas, a substantial shareholder of the Company, to purchase the entire issued share capital of AfGen (the 'Option'). The Option expires 12 months after the signature of the Option Agreement. Entry into the Option Agreement is at no cost to Gasol. The cost of exercising the Option will be 75% of fair value, as determined by third party experts at the time of exercise, and will be settled through the issuance of Gasol shares.

As part of the Option Agreement, Gasol has agreed to fund AfGen's working capital budget; provided that unless agreed by Gasol, Gasol shall not be required to lend in excess of (i) US$500,000 in any calendar month or (ii) US$5,000,000 in aggregate. The loan shall carry interest at the rate of 10% per annum calculated from the date of disbursement to the date of repayment. The interest shall accrue and shall be capitalised annually to form part of the loan. The loan shall be repayable on demand by Gasol and shall automatically and immediately become repayable in full (together with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon) upon the Option lapsing. Repayment of the loan is guaranteed by Afgas. The provision of the loan (the 'Transaction') is a related party transaction, pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

The Directors of Gasol consider, having consulted with Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited, Gasol's Nominated Adviser, that the terms of the Transaction are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders are concerned.

Commenting on the agreement Gasol's Chief Operating Officer, Alan Buxton, said: "This is an exciting first step in the delivery of the Company's strategy, which was outlined earlier in the year. Today's agreement will potentially enable us to generate substantial future revenues that will support Gasol's further corporate development."

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Enquiries

 
 Gasol plc 
  Alan Buxton, Chief Operating Officer    +44 (0) 20 7290 3300 
 Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited 
  Dominic Morley (Corporate Finance) 
  Callum Stewart (Corporate Finance) 
  Adam Pollock (Corporate Broking)        +44 (0) 20 7459 3600 
 Pelham Bell Pottinger 
  Olly Scott                              +44 (0) 20 7861 3891

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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