Final Results

Aminex PLC 28 April 2004 AMINEX PLC ("Aminex" or "the Company") Preliminary Results for the year ending 31 December 2003 Aminex, the oil and gas company listed on the London and Irish Stock Exchanges, today announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2003. Highlights • Nyuni 1 drilling complete, well currently under limited test • Increased production and higher oil and gas prices in USA • Disposal of interest in OAO Ideloil since year end completes planned withdrawal from Russia • Operating loss before exceptional items reduced from 2002 $5 million to current period $2.2 million • Net positive cash and negligible debt at year end Overview In the Preliminary Statement last year reference was made to the changes in Aminex Group strategy that were in hand or had already been accomplished. It will be recalled that in 2001 the Group disposed of its principal assets in Russia, a 55% stake in the AmKomi joint venture in the Komi Republic. Since then Aminex has negotiated the sale of its investment in OAO Ideloil which owns the producing Dachnoye oil field in Tatarstan, another internal Russian republic. This completes the planned withdrawal from Russia after ten years. The Group's activities now have a much stronger bias towards high impact exploration in frontier areas where the search for hydrocarbons is still at an early stage, reflecting the Board's belief that this strategy offers scope for major growth. During the last year the Group has been able to focus its attention on its current principal area of interest, Tanzania. Aminex believes that East Africa, and Tanzania in particular, is set to become a new oil-producing province. Financial Review Group turnover has increased from $3.5 million in 2002 to $7.76 million for the current year. The increase is mainly due to a combination of higher prices and higher production of oil and gas in the USA during 2003. Cost of sales has increased by $2 million to $4.36 million in 2003. The resulting gross profit, after taking into account an amortisation charge of $1 million, amounts to $2.4 million, an increase of $2 million over that for 2002. Administrative charges of $4.6 million have increased from 2002 by $1.2 million, in part due to the recognition of twelve months administrative expenses for the oilfield services business (the comparative period only reflecting two months of such costs, following the Group's purchase of the remaining 50% interest of the oilfield services joint venture at the end of October 2002) but also as a consequence of a weaker US dollar on translation of the Group's sterling denominated administrative expenses. The resulting Group operating loss before exceptional items for the year amounts to $2.2 million, an improvement of $2.8 million over 2002. However, the comparative year's result included a charge of $2 million, being the cost of defending an unsolicited bid for the Company. The Group disposed of its investment in Ideloil in early 2004. As a consequence, the book value of the investment at 31 December, 2003 was adjusted down to the net proceeds on sale, resulting in an exceptional charge in the current period of $2.01 million. After taking account of this charge and offsetting net interest income, the Group net loss after tax for the twelve months ended 31 December, 2003 amounted to $4.13 million, which compares with a net loss of $4.95 million for 2002. The Balance Sheet at 31 December, 2003 shows an increase over 2002 in intangible fixed assets of $4.3 million, reflecting the Group's exploration activities during the year on the Nyuni licence in Tanzania and, to a lesser extent, in the USA. The Group has a positive cash balance and remains virtually debt free. Strategy Aminex has a general objective of building reserves and production through drilling or acquisition. Your Board believes the progress made in the Tanzanian venture validates its decision to pursue exploration and development opportunities with the ability to add substantially to the value of the business. This will remain its guiding principle. United States Operations in the US continue satisfactorily and revenues increased as a result of both increased production and higher oil and gas prices. During the year, the Sabine Lake gas discovery was brought on stream following the construction of facilities, including a marine pipeline. An infill drilling programme is planned over the next twelve months in the South Weslaco field to convert "proved undeveloped" reserves into the producing category, together with an appraisal well on the producing Alta Loma gas field. Tanzania Following the acquisition of Tanzoil in 2002, exploration activities were initiated on the Nyuni licence, a large tract offshore Tanzania. Aminex assembled a three-partner group which has now drilled the Nyuni-1 exploration well. Several other prospects have already been identified over the Nyuni licence area. The well, which reached a total depth of 3,895 metres in the Upper Jurassic, has drilled through a 1,100 metre Lower Cretaceous sequence, the potential reservoir, and is currently under limited test. The well has already established the presence of hydrocarbons in the area. Aminex is the first company to have drilled an exploration well offshore East Africa for many years. However, the area is rapidly becoming a focus of renewed interest as larger companies negotiate extensive acreage holdings in Tanzania itself and in neighbouring offshore Kenya. Thanks to two existing gas discoveries, Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay, made some years back, Tanzania has generally been considered as an area of gas rather than oil potential. From the outset, however, Aminex has taken the view that offshore Tanzania offers great scope for the discovery of oil as well as gas and has approached the Nyuni project with this in mind. Subsequent regional oil sampling and geochemical analysis carried out by Aminex, allied to the presence of oil shows from cuttings during the drilling of Nyuni-1 itself, indicates the presence of oil over the region originating from a Lower Jurassic source rock. Prospects Aminex will continue its work on the Nyuni licence, the precise scope of which will depend upon the final results of Nyuni-1. As well as Nyuni, Aminex also holds the Ruvuma onshore licence in the south of Tanzania, adjacent to gas discoveries in neighbouring Mozambique. Aminex expects to commence preliminary exploration of Ruvuma during the current year. Its exploration team continues to identify other areas of interest in Tanzania which are unlicensed at present. The Group is in the process of assembling a small group of industry partners to undertake initial joint studies. There is a strong and growing demand for gas as well as oil in East Africa, so Aminex views its future there with optimism. 28 April 2004 Enquiries Aminex PLC + 44 (0)20 7240 1600 Brian Hall - Chief Executive Simon Butterfield - Finance Director College Hill + 44 (0)20 7457 2020 James Henderson Nick Elwes Davy Corporate Finance + 353 (0)1 614 8934 Hugh McCutcheon Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 31 December 2003 2003 2002 Note US$'000 US$'000 Turnover - Group and share of joint venture 7,760 4,738 Less share of joint venture turnover - (1,242) 7,760 3,496 Group turnover - continuing operations 7,153 3,413 - discontinued operations 607 83 Group turnover 7,760 3,496 Cost of sales (4,362) (2,316) Amortisation of oil and gas properties (998) (779) Gross profit 2,400 401 Administrative expenses (4,582) (3,400) Exceptional item - bid defence costs - (1,999) Group operating loss - continuing operations (2,067) (4,953) - discontinued operations (115) (45) (2,182) (4,998) Share of operating profit - associate - 856 Share of operating loss - joint venture - (202) Provision against loans to joint venture - (624) Group operating loss before exceptional items - continuing operations (2,067) (4,923) - discontinued operations (115) (45) (2,182) (4,968) Exceptional items: Write down in book value of investment in associate 2(a) (2,010) - Loss on disposal of subsidiary undertaking 2(b) (8) - Loss on ordinary activities before interest (4,200) (4,968) Interest receivable and other income 105 283 Interest payable and similar charges - Group (38) (41) Interest payable and similar charges - associate - (88) Interest payable and similar charges - joint venture - (8) Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (4,133) (4,822) Tax on loss on ordinary activities - Group - - - associate - (127) Retained loss for the financial year (4,133) (4,949) Basic and diluted loss per Ordinary Share (in US cents) 3 (4.55) (5.67) Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2003 2003 2002 Note US$'000 US$'000 Fixed assets Intangible fixed assets 11,068 6,797 Tangible fixed assets 12,834 13,585 Investment in associate 2(a) - 4,000 Other financial assets 868 - 24,770 24,382 Current assets Investment held for resale 2(a) 2,003 - Stocks - 141 Debtors 6,102 4,791 Cash at bank and in hand 346 8,287 8,451 13,219 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (5,474) (5,940) Net current assets 2,977 7,279 Total assets less current liabilities 27,747 31,661 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (88) (136) Net assets 27,659 31,525 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 6,172 6,156 Share premium account 35,258 35,212 Capital conversion reserve fund 234 234 Foreign currency reserve 316 111 Profit and loss account (14,321) (10,188) Shareholders' funds - equity 27,659 31,525 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 December 2003 Note 2003 2003 2002 2002 US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 US$'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities 5 (1,814) (4,471) Return on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 41 212 Dividend received from associate 39 - Rent received 9 - Interest paid (38) (40) Net cash inflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance 51 172 Capital expenditure Purchase of tangible fixed assets (2,355) (2,249) Purchase of intangible fixed assets (3,023) (1,206) Sale of tangible fixed assets 32 3 Purchase of other investment (868) - Net cash outflow for capital expenditure (6,214) (3,452) Acquisitions and disposals Disposal of subsidiary undertaking (12) (253) Cash transferred on (disposal)/acquisition of subsidiary undertaking (10) 48 Loans advanced to joint venture - (810) Net cash outflow for acquisitions and disposals (22) (1,015) Net cash outflow before use of liquid resources and financing (7,999) (8,766) Management of liquid resources Cash removed from short term deposit 7,400 15,007 Financing activities Issue of ordinary share capital - 32 Issue expenses - (295) Return of capital - (7,500) Expenses on return of capital - (105) New bank loans advanced 225 130 Repayment of bank loans (118) (21) New finance lease obligations 45 70 Capital element of finance lease payments (94) (94) Cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities 58 (7,783) Decrease in cash (541) (1,542) Notes to the Financial Information 1 Basis of preparation The preliminary statement has been derived from the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2003 which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2002. 2 Exceptional items (a) Subsequent to the year end, the Group disposed of its interest in OAO Ideloil for US$2.215 million before selling expenses. The disposal has given rise to a write down in book value of the investment in associate at 31 December 2003 of US$2.01 million. As a result, the investment in associate has been reclassified to current assets under "Investment held for resale". No share of profits was recognised in the year ended 31 December 2003. (b) On 21 August 2003, the Aminex Group disposed of its 90% interest in Amossco Ropes Limited. 3 Basic and diluted loss per Ordinary Share 2003 2002 Loss attributable to ordinary shareholders US$4,133,000 US$4,949,000 Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares outstanding 90,905,734 87,343,188 Loss per share US4.55 cents US5.67 cents Loss per share is calculated by dividing the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue during the year into the loss after taxation for the year attributable to the shareholders of Aminex PLC. There is no difference between the basic net loss per share and the diluted net loss per share for the years ended 31 December 2003 and 2002 as all potentially dilutive Ordinary Shares are anti-dilutive. 4 Dividends No dividend is proposed (2002: US$nil). 5 Reconciliation of operating loss to net cash outflow from operating activities 2003 2002 US$'000 US$'000 Operating loss (2,182) (4,998) Depreciation charges 1,166 923 Decrease/(increase) in stocks 46 (29) (Increase)/decrease in debtors (3,009) 443 Increase/(decrease) in creditors 1,905 (809) Issue of share capital in settlement of services provided 62 - Loss on sale of tangible fixed assets 7 - Foreign exchange movement 191 (1) Net cash outflow from operating activities (1,814) (4,471) 6 2003 Report and Accounts The 2003 Report and Accounts will be posted to shareholders shortly. 7 Statutory information The financial information set out above does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2003 within the meaning of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1986. The statutory accounts will be finalised on the basis of the financial information presented by the Directors in the preliminary announcement and together with the auditors' report thereon will be delivered to the Register of Companies following the Company's Annual General Meeting. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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