OREANDA-NEWS. Alliance Oil Company demonstrated solid financial and operational performance in the second quarter of 2013. The macro environment remained supportive despite a slight decrease in international crude prices and depreciation of the RUB against the USD. Consolidated Revenue and EBITDA grew by 3% and 15% respectively compared to the previous quarter. Net income was negatively affected by currency exchange losses. Consolidated daily production of hydrocarbons increased by 11% quarter-on-quarter, as the Company recorded its first full quarter of gas operations, following the production launch in February. Refining volumes were almost flat in the reporting period.

In the upstream segment, production growth was primarily driven by gas and gas liquids in the Tomsk and in the Khanty-Mansiysk regions. Total production, including non-consolidated equity interests, increased by almost 16% quarter-on-quarter.

In the downstream segment, the refinery average daily run-rate remained near capacity despite the scheduled maintenance works in April 2013. The Company sold 8.3 million barrels of oil products in the second quarter of 2013 compared to 7.6 million barrels in the previous quarter. The downstream segment's margin recovered quarter-on-quarter.

During the quarter the Company successfully placed 7-year unsecured Eurobonds for a total amount of MUSD 500 and Preference shares for a total amount of almost MUSD 100. While total debt increased, the net debt to EBITDA ratio improved from 2.7 in the first quarter to 2.5 in the reporting period.

Outlook

In July 2013 the total hydrocarbon production reached 67,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including about 5,300 boepd from the joint venture with Repsol. The Company is well on track to meet its double digit production growth target this year supported by the expanding gas operations and the development of joint venture operations.

In the downstream segment, the market environment is traditionally strong. In July, the refinery run-rate exceeded 95,000 bopd and remains near these levels. Despite high demand for oil products, the unprecedented water flooding in the Russian Far East might affect the sales volumes and operational performance in the current quarter.

The Khabarovsk refinery modernisation program is in the final stages with several new units near completion and scheduled for testing in coming months. The actual progress in the construction works during this summer and weather related issues will somewhat postpone the launch dates for the hydroprocessing complex and the connection to the ESPO-pipeline. Currently the modernised refinery and ESPO connection are still expected to be fully tested and operational early next year.

The completion of the refinery modernisation project and the ESPO connection mark the end of the current investment cycle through which Alliance Oil has significantly upgraded the foundation for operating in the Far Eastern oil products markets.