Mauritius, 03 April 2020: ESSAR EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION LIMITED MAURITIUS (“Essar”), has filed a claim in the High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts of England & Wales in respect of SHORELINE CANOVERSEAS PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED’s (ShoreCan) repudiatory breach of a Share Purchase Agreement between Essar and ShoreCan dated 17 August 2015, (the “SPA”), and in respect of material breaches of a related Shareholders’ Agreement of the same date (the “SHA”). In its legal filing, Essar claims that the SPA and the SHA are terminated and the transfer of shares under the SPA by Essar to ShoreCan is void. Essar also seeks an order that ShoreCan forthwith take all steps necessary to transfer its shares in Essar Exploration and Production Limited Nigeria (“EEPLN”) to Essar. Essar has also claimed damages of approximately US $63 million in respect of amounts that it has invested in the project.
A senior management executive of Essar indicated that Essar had entered into the SPA and the SHA on 17 August 2015 to transfer 80 percent of its shareholding in EEPLN to ShoreCan in return for ShoreCan’s investment of $80 million in EEPLN. ShoreCan is owned 50:50 percent by Canadian Overseas Petroleum (Bermuda Holdings) Ltd (XOP: CSE & COPL: LSE) and Shore Line Energy International Ltd respectively. Essar, in August, 2018, issued a notice of breach and event of default to ShoreCan for not meeting its obligations under the SHA and expected ShoreCan to take corrective steps to remedy its defaults under the SHA. However, ShoreCan never remedied its default.
About Essar Exploration & Production Limited Mauritius:
Essar Exploration & Production Limited Mauritius (EEPLM) manages investments in conventional and non-conventional oil and gas fields as an early stage developer. It has participating interests in conventional oil & gas acreages in India, Vietnam and Nigeria, with an overall resource base of 3.4 bboe (barrels of oil equivalent).
EEPLM, through its subsidiary Essar Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Ltd (EOGEPL), is India’s largest operator of unconventional hydrocarbon acreages located across key sedimentary basins in the country. These acreages have a resource base of 15 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet) and includes both CBM (Coal Bed Methane) and shale resources.
Media Contacts:
Manish Kedia, Senior Vice President – Corporate Affairs, Essar
Phone: +91 98197 30092, Email: manish.kedia@essar.com