Southwestern Energy Announces Sale Of A Portion Of Southwest Appalachia Acreage

HOUSTON, June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Antero Resources Corporation to sell approximately 55,000 net acres in West Virginia for $450 million.  The cash proceeds from the transaction are expected to be used to reduce the principal balance of the company's $750 million term loan due in November 2018.

The properties are located in Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler and Wetzel Counties and are currently producing from the Marcellus Shale.  Net production from this acreage is approximately 14 MMcfe per day, primarily from non-operated wells, and proved reserves on this acreage were 11 Bcfe as of December 31, 2015.  The Company has no current plans to drill on these properties before 2023.

"This transaction is one step on delivering on the commitment we made to strengthen our balance sheet in 2016," remarked Bill Way, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Energy. "We are bringing forward the value of acreage that is much longer dated in our development plans, enabling us to take action and proactively reduce outstanding debt.  Together with the progress we are making on margin enhancement, this sale further strengthens both the Company's financial flexibility and our bridge to value-added growth for shareholders."

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions and purchase price adjustments.

Southwestern Energy Company is an independent energy company whose wholly owned subsidiaries are engaged in natural gas and oil exploration, development and production, natural gas gathering and marketing. Additional information on the company can be found on the Internet at http://www.swn.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to future events and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, and other aspects of our operations or operating results. In many cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "project," "estimate," "continue," "potential," "should," "could," "may," "will," "objective," "guidance," "outlook," "effort," "expect," "believe," "predict," "budget," "projection," "goal," "forecast," "target" or similar words. Statements may be forward looking even in the absence of these particular words. Where, in any forward-looking statement, the Company expresses an expectation or belief as to future results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, there can be no assurance that such expectation or belief will result or be achieved. The actual results of operations can and will be affected by a variety of risks and other matters including, but not limited to, changes in commodity prices; changes in expected levels of natural gas and oil reserves or production; operating hazards, drilling risks, unsuccessful exploratory activities; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets; international monetary conditions; unexpected cost increases; potential liability for remedial actions under existing or future environmental regulations; potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; and general domestic and international economic and political conditions; as well as changes in tax, environmental and other laws applicable to our business. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting our business generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless legally required, Southwestern Energy Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Southwestern Energy Company

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